Blood & Remembrance
by Shangri-La
Summary: Sequel to Blood & Amnesia - Faye tracks down Vicious after he recovers from amnesia and leaves her hurt and alone. She loves him - he denies loving her back. But when she really needs him, will his actions say otherwise?
1. Walking Away From Him

Yay! I finally got this up! It's the sequel to 'Blood & Amnesia', which I co-authored with LadySilverDragon2 and put under her pen name. I know this took a long time for me to get up, and I'm sorry, but it's here now!  
  
For all of you who have not read the other story, this is the back ground - Faye goes to a hospital to sell some blood and finds an amnesiac Vicious, who she decides to get revenge on for killing Spike. She tells him she's his wife and takes him home and decides that she is to make him fall in love with her so she can break his heart and then kill him. The plan backfires as he is now a very caring person who devotes himself to making her happy, and she begins to think she really does love him when she wakes up one morning to find that he has regained her memory and is walking out on her. After he leaves, she leaves a note on the Internet for Ed asking for help and the little girl shows up on her door step - and that's where the other story left off! Now, for the sequel, which shall consist of Faye trying to bring back her true love!  
  
~~~~~  
  
There was a mechanic humming on the subway, something almost soothing and familiar about it - I guess it was because it was so rhythmic that I enjoyed it. I'd been plagued with a horrible, pounding headache earlier that day, but now I felt much, much more...confident?  
  
Ed was sitting beside me, cross-legged on the cold, metal seat, her laptop cradled on her knees. She had all that head gear stuff on again - whatever it was - the equipment that covered her eyes and connected to her computer through thin, snaky cords. Her hacking gear. Or something. Whatever.  
  
"So, why Faye-Faye looking for Vicious again?" she inquired in that girlie, squeaky voice of hers. For someone who had once looked an awful lot like a boy, Ed was turning out to be a pretty teenager, although she still hadn't mastered the art of language.  
  
"I told you," I muttered, my chin biting down on the heel of my hand, which was tilted up slightly so that my lips pressed to my palm and therefore muffled my already mumbled speech. My elbow was starting to develop a sore spot from where it was digging in to the window sill. "I love him."  
  
"But he killed Spike-person?" It was really more of a question, like, was that assumption a mistake? Had he really murdered Spike? After all, how could I love him if he had? I was glad Ed didn't readily judge me like I knew Jet would.  
  
"Yes, he did," I said quietly. "But he's changed." Oh, and had he ever changed. I felt tears come to my eyes as I recalled how we had met after the whole Spike trauma, how he had been in the hospital with amnesia. I was the only one he remembered, though it was more fondly than otherwise, and I decided to feed him lies (we were married, we were in love, ect.). My original purpose had been revenge, but it hadn't worked out that way. Vicious, in his blank state, had been void of any hate and had shared nothing with me but tenderness and a cute kind of affection. So I had fallen in love, like most dumb girls do... Like I'd done before with Spike, and even though he said he'd be with me forever, he'd left me the moment he regained his memories... But the love remained, and I kept telling myself that deep down, Vicious was a different person than his exterior suggested. Hence why I was tracking him down with the help of one eccentric little girl.  
  
I jerked out of my reverie to glance at the redhead sitting beside me. I'd taken her shopping earlier and bought her a pair of khaki capris and a lime green T-shirt, having beforehand commented to her that redheads always looked pretty in green. So naturally, when we went to the store, she bought the most obnoxious shade of the color she could find. I had used the trip to question her on what she had been up to. Turns out she had SOMEHOW tracked down her dad, and all had been well for a few months, but history has a funny way of repeating itself. One day he dropped her off at a daycare center, and after a few weeks, it was determined he wasn't coming back. Ed, of course, wasn't surprised - she decided to set out on her own again and had been traveling around, hacking into systems here and there, until she randomly picked up on my message. I don't know what surprised me more - that she had actually responded, or that she had purposely been looking for material on the old crew of the Bebop, just to make sure we were doing well. We used to have a lot of fun together, she explained, and she had been hoping for one more adventure.  
  
Ein nuzzled at my ankles, whining. It had been a hassle to convince people to let him aboard, but somehow we had accomplished it. People were still staring unappreciatively at the mutt as well as its owner - for many a reason, I'm sure, including the way she jerked back and forth and waved her arms in the air as she hacked, but I ignored them. "Hey, kid, found him yet?"  
  
"Uh-huuuuuuuuh," she replied in that ever chipper tone. "He's rebuilding the syndicate. The police reports say he's already been arrested once for drug dealing."  
  
I perked up, interested. "Really? Where is he now?"  
  
"Yup. I'll show you when we get there. We're reeeeeeaaaaaaally close!"  
  
"Alright," I sighed, brushing a dark strand of hair from my face. "You help me get Vicious back, and I swear I'll adopt you."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Wait, Ed, he's here?" I blinked in surprise at the huge building looming over the three of us - Ed, Ein, and myself. It was massive, all stone and terribly cold with bars on the few windows. When the girl had said he had been arrested, the thought that he would still be in jail had never even crossed my mind. Not my Vicious.  
  
I had to laugh inwardly at that.  
  
This was not the same Vicious I had dealt with only a few months ago. So, I suppose the question at hand would be, which one was the real Vicious? The gentle man who was eager to please and said he'd love me always, or the cold hearted monster that had killed Spike and ordered Julia's death?  
  
We walked briskly up the tall, wide steps to the jailhouse, the dog trailing at my feet. I felt fairly confident until we stepped through the swinging doors, and then every bit of resolve just melted away. Luckily, Ed was able to keep her wits about her, and even though I must've looked like a real idiot, just standing there and letting a thirteen year old do all the talking for me, I almost shook with relief when the man behind the desk nodded and led us down the hall to a room, where he invited me to sit at a table but asked Ed to stay outside. Ed nodded. Apparently, she was now my niece and Vicious was once more my husband.  
  
I was alone with a guard for a few moments before the door opened again and Vicious was led in, his hands cuffed before him, a serene look on his face. His lips twitched a little at seeing me, and his pale eyes glinted with madness. Obviously, he had known that 'your wife is here to see you' really translated into 'that woman is stalking you still'.  
  
"Hello, Vicious," I said in a low voice, casting my eyes down to the table before he could give me one of his infamous glares. I heard the chair legs scrape as he pulled it out and then carefully sat down, a cold, tense atmosphere smothering the surrounding area.  
  
"What do you want now?" His voice sounded tired.  
  
At that point, I really didn't know what I wanted. It had never occurred to me we'd meet like this, or that he'd even ask me that question. So, I sat there, gaping at him like a fool, not moving, not speaking - not even thinking.  
  
He cocked his head slowly to the side and heaved a sigh. "I have recovered my entire memory, Miss Valentine. There is no doubt about that. If you came here intending to lie to me again, it will not hold any ground."  
  
The guard in the corner of the small conference room looked bored, not paying attention at all. We, in turn, ignored him.  
  
"I just want you back," I blurted out. "That's all, ok? I want my Vicious back, the one that called himself Benjamin and loved ice cream and hated to dress all in black." I eyed his outfit, suspicious as to why he was still in his syndicate uniform instead of the usual orange jumpsuit. "You can't tell me he did not love me. I KNOW he did."  
  
"He died, Faye," Vicious said smoothly. "He died the moment I awoke."  
  
With trembling hands, I placed my fingers over his, which lay on the table, cool as ice. "Fine then," I whispered. "I just need one more thing."  
  
He waited for the request, unblinking, unsmiling, unfeeling.  
  
"Tell me you don't love me. Tell me that and I can go away and live the rest of my life with no regrets."  
  
Slowly, he withdrew his hands from mine, answering in that same, gruff tone, "I don't love you."  
  
Tears came unbidden to my emerald eyes, streaming from the corners and down my cheeks to meet in a collective stream at my pointed chin. "Alright," I whispered. "That's all I needed to hear."  
  
And as I stood up to leave, I was aware of his eyes on me, and when I walked out that door, I had to shoulder past a man who was coming in to inform Vicious his bail had been paid. At the main desk, I collected Ed and Ein, only to turn and see Vicious striding towards me, now free to leave. And though I turned to leave, making my way stiffly to the front door, he fell in step with me out front and we walked silently side by side down the stairs until we came to the sidewalk and parted into opposite directions.  
  
He never saw me glance over my shoulder at his retreating back, regret flashing over my face.  
  
And I never saw him do the same.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Alright, guys, review and I'll get the next chapter up quick as a wink! ~_^ 


	2. Stray Memories

Wow! So many reviews! I would like to thank everyone personally, and let me tell you, it took a little while to get it all organized. It's at the bottom, so if you reviewed, your name is down there with a little message from me to you! ~_^ Thanks and keep reviewing!  
  
~~~~~  
  
I guess I didn't really find Vicious. Or at least not MY Vicious. I found Spike's Vicious, Julia's Vicious, but Faye Valentine's Vicious? No, he was dead, or so his body insisted. And it broke my heart, because, what was I to do after that? Go back to my petty lifestyle? How can you go back to your normal, everyday routine after someone like that has walked in and out of your life, leaving behind such great impressions?  
  
I guess you really can't.  
  
I took Ed by the hand that day when we were walking back to the subway - holding onto her like she was my own child. It wasn't something I'd normally do, but after the previous rejection, I was still so numb I was afraid without her faint guidance I'd lose myself in the crowd and perish there.  
  
"Vicious doesn't love you anymore?" she asked innocently, gazing up at me.  
  
I winced. "Guess not."  
  
We continued to walk, stopping at the station to buy our tickets and then wait to board. I had hoped we'd be returning with Vicious, but I suppose that was just wishful thinking on my part.  
  
Ed hummed a lively little tune as we waited, her eyes darting here and there in contentment. It must've been nice to be a kid who didn't need anyone and was totally self sufficient, who could be disappointed by no one and nothing...  
  
I bit my lip and looked away, staring into the crowd.  
  
"We going home now?"  
  
"Yes..." My voice trailed off as I skimmed over the words floating across the huge TV screen above us. A collective groan rose from the crowd as it was announced all transportation would be delayed at least three hours due to technical difficulties. "Oh crap!" I sighed, exasperated, and then, quietly, "Just as well... Now we can get something to eat here, I suppose. You hungry?"  
  
"OH YEAH!" Ed whooped and hollered, pumping her tiny fist in the air and skipping on ahead of me in search of a good restaurant, Ein barking and tottering at her heels.  
  
"Something outside!" I called after them, jogging to keep up. Of course we'd end up someplace cheap and with a table by the sidewalk, thanks to Ein, who would not be allowed inside anyplace, regardless of how much we begged. Dumb dog.  
  
We finally settled on some little café that sold mostly coffee and desserts, but no one seemed bothered by that. I ordered two slices of cheesecake and a sugar cookie (for Ein) and we got to eating, munching on our treats in silence. I smiled faintly as a stray memory from before whispered through my mind.  
  
Vicious, in the park, standing there with his ice cream cone and looking rather childish as he licked happily at the treat. He had such a brilliant smile...  
  
Shaking the thought away, I cleared my foggy vision just in time to hear Ed holler something about looking out only about half a second before a paper flyer hit me smack in the face, propelled along by a gust of wind. "Aw, man!" I cried, peeling it off in annoyance, pausing only to glance upon it. That glance turned into a wide-eyed stare. "I don't believe it..."  
  
"What is it?" Ed blinked several times, dark eyelashes fluttering, before scampering around to peer over my shoulder. "Hey!" she cried, pointing in excitement. "It's - it's...!"  
  
I focused on the grim man on the poster, at the huge bounty posted beneath his picture, at his name written in bold letters and the 'Wanted: Dead or Alive' up top. "It's Jet," I breathed.  
  
~~~~~  
  
It didn't take Ed all that long too find him. She stayed up the whole night tracking him down as well as trying to locate his offenses - that took a lot less time. I paced in the background the whole while, greedily guzzling down the sodas in the mini bar, not touching the alcohol. I'd given that up along with smoking a while ago. Just didn't have the money to support the habits, I suppose.  
  
"Well, Faye-Faye," Ed finally remarked, turning to face me, "it says that Jet....he, um..." She scratched the top of her head. "He's already been turned in - dead."  
  
My heart sunk. I'd never really been close to Jet, but he was like part of whatever sort of screwed up family we had formed back then. Heck, he'd cared about me more than Spike had, I think. When I ran away from the Bebop, I later caught wind that Spike had only ended up in the same place as I was because he'd heard Julia had been there. Jet, on the other hand, had actually tried to convince him to look for me, and even if it was only because I had stolen a great debt from their safe, it was still a nice thought that he had actually wanted to look... But Jet - dead? It seemed inconceivable. The old man had been near invincible! Sadly, I shook my head.  
  
"What was his crime again, Ed?" I murmured. She'd told me, but I hadn't been paying attention, really.  
  
"He killed three men," she replied matter-of-factly. "That's about all it said."  
  
"Oh..." I tried to muster up a smile, but it didn't really work. "I guess we're all that's left of the Bebop crew, huh?"  
  
"I guess," she said quietly, looking perplexed for a moment and then going back to her laptop.  
  
I finished my soda and threw the can away, hearing it hit the bottom of the trash can with a tinny clunk. "Find me some bounties," I commanded. "We're going to stay here a little longer. The rooms are a lot cheaper and I think that if we can make a living here, it'd be pretty nice."  
  
"Ok, Faye-Faye."  
  
"Don't stay up too late, kid," I cautioned, and then slipped into the bathroom, discarding my clothes to step into the shower. My hands numbly worked at the knobs, blending the hot and cold water to a lukewarm mix that wouldn't burn and would not freeze. Slowly, I let myself release the tension, the anger, the disappointment, to relax as the water pelted my skin. I smiled wryly, my thoughts straying back to Vicious, to when I had deceived him and played the role of his wife. He had fallen into part easily, believing we were married, and had no real problems with modesty. It had been so infuriating at the time... So upsetting... But now, I missed him so terribly.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
*Flashback*  
  
I cursed the ghost of a man with his white hair and pale skin and lucid blue eyes. I loathed him for doing such a complete turnabout that made him hard to hate, and easy to forgive for killing Spike. I mumbled his offenses under my breath as I stepped into the shower and drew the curtain around to hide myself and keep the water from splashing out onto the bathroom tiles. Raking the soap against my skin, I started a rough washing.  
  
Suddenly, through the curtain, I noticed the black outline of a figure soundlessly opening the door and casually stepping in, stopping and standing facing the shower, staring with a flat, shadow face at the curtain that separated us. At me.  
  
I froze, one arm crossing my bare chest to hold the soap bar against my shoulder. Slowly, I began to recall the time I had spent in Gren's apartment, how when I had heard the message machine click followed by Vicious' voice, I had grabbed a gun and approached the bathroom. Gren had been standing in the shower, and I remembered the thin curtain that hid him from my gaze. Sort of. In the lighting, I had seen his outline perfectly, the broad shoulders and thin hips and arms and legs and even the long hair falling down his back. He'd been standing there, waiting I'm sure, and now, if Vicious was on the other side of THIS curtain, staring at it, surely he could see my outline...  
  
I blushed uncomfortably, feeling exposed even though I knew I really wasn't. "Vicious?" I called out weakly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm going to brush my teeth. Why?"  
  
"Do it in the other sink."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Go to the kitchen."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Growling, I carefully angled my neck and grabbed the curtain with wet fingers, poking my head out and pulling it tight around my neck so he could not peer in. He stood there, blinking at me innocently, obviously not comprehending what I wanted him to do. Leave. "I SAID GO BRUSH YOUR TEETH IN THE KITCHEN SINK!" I screamed.  
  
And then there was that horrid smile, the one that was almost like a naïve little boy admitting he vaguely felt stupid. "Ok," he said compliantly, gathering up the toothbrush and toothpaste and floss and mouth wash and everything else I owned that had to do with dental care. The man had a weird obsession with dental hygiene. Before he left, he tossed one more look at my body's outline behind the shower curtain, grinned, and said, "Try to come to bed at a decent hour tonight, ok?"  
  
"Not a chance," I shot back. And then, at his confused expression, corrected myself with, "I mean, I have a lot of work to do. Don't wait up."  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
~~~~~  
  
I pulled on a bathrobe and walked back out to the small hotel room, seeing that Ed had already shut down her computer and crawled into bed with Ein. I slid in beside them with a sigh, pulling the sheets over my body and giving myself over to sleep.  
  
Things just never worked out, did they?  
  
~~~~~  
  
Well, there's chapter two! Sorry for the wait and keep on reviewing! ~_^  
  
Hikari88: Honestly, I dunno how I got Vicious in character... ^_^;;  
  
Agent Tomato: There you go! I put in a flashback! Happy now? lol If you haven't read Blood & Amnesia, than you really should. It'd be a lot easier to understand. Haha. Then again, if you have...I guess you just wanted a flashback.  
  
Kidoairaku: There! I continued!  
  
SilverGoddess1: You're welcome ^_^ I'm glad you liked the first.  
  
Dazma: Sorry I took so long. You know...I'll have Faye address the adoption thing soon.  
  
Jake Poe: Blood & Amnesia is under the pen name LadySilverDragon2. I'll send you an e-mail or something with a link if you still can't find it. ~_^  
  
Michelle: Thank you. I will continue. lol  
  
Kaelin77: It won't stay sad forever. But it will be angsty. Of course there will be happy moments too.  
  
Volk Zyta: Didn't mean to keep you waiting!  
  
Pink-Pooglie: Thank you. I hope I can continue to portray Vicious and Faye in the correct manner!  
  
ViciousRedTearz: Eh...sorry, I took a little bit longer than I had expected on this one!  
  
Tina: I know! Vicious deserves to be happy, doesn't he?  
  
Zithromax: lol I'm glad you're having fun. Anyhow, getting Vicious in character is a real guessing game for me! I have to think long and hard before I make him do anything! Whew...  
  
Osa: I see you are a firm Faye/Vicious lover. Hehe.  
  
VinallaRose: The name Vicious would scare me if I were her! But anyhow, fate will toss them together again. lol  
  
Bloody Love: It was sad, wasn't it? *sniff sniff*  
  
Bebop-angel1: Thank you! I'll try to go at a reasonable pace! Keep my in check now ~_^  
  
Kitten Siren: Dance to your heart's content. Twisty-rockiness is my thing! Haha  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: Yay! You like me! *hugs* Vicious/Faye is definitely one of the greatest Cowboy Bebop parings out there! Or at least it is in my opinion... *shrugs* 


	3. An Old Friend

Disclaimer: Don't own Cowboy Bebop.  
  
Well, I finally updated! Sorry it took so long! FORGIVE ME! *falls onto knees* I thanked all the reviewers at the end! Please continue to review! And now, the mystery of Jet's death - SOLVED!  
  
~~~~~  
  
Vicious was in the news again, actually making the headline. He had murdered some big, important business man and they had blown up this awful picture of him from when he was in jail and put it on the front page. He looked terrible, grim and half-dead. Obviously, while the last crime had been petty, he was now a serious offender who would be either sentenced to death row or living the rest of his life in prison - if they could catch him.  
  
I doubted they could.  
  
Throwing down the paper in disgust, I growled, "And that - is the man I love."  
  
Ed was fiddling with her laptop again, 'oohing' and 'ahhing' about every five seconds. I tried my best to ignore her.  
  
Things were going well enough, but life was boring. I needed to get out of this horrible rut. Maybe that's why I took up a bounty that I knew I probably couldn't handle, although I insisted I could. I even took Ed with me, but only because she insisted she could help. Hey, it's not like I was her mother. The kid could do as she pleased.  
  
"Ed don't like this..." she said in a lilting, playful voice as we stopped in front of the abandoned warehouse.  
  
Ed and I had tracked the bounty thus far, having learned that this had been her most recent hideout. It was a she this time - a fifty-something woman named Taylor Dunmore, guilty of drug dealing and nearly twenty murders in the last year. Seven of those were bounty hunters, much like myself. She'd been a nurse who had turned to stealing drugs and medication from the hospital and selling them to the patients who came in due to overdose. She'd killed a few people to cover it up, and then done away with a few more just for fun, it seemed.  
  
"Oh, Ed," I sighed dramatically. "Use proper grammar. Stop referring to yourself in third person. And if it starts to get too tough, we get out, ok?"  
  
"Hmm..." Ed still didn't look sure.  
  
I told the girl to wait while I went in to check things out for clues that others might have overlooked. It was probably going to be a dead end, but you have to start somewhere.  
  
The moment I stepped inside, I knew something was wrong.  
  
This place looked very well lived-in, but that was impossible. The last bounty hunter we had talked to had said that he'd been there just the week before and it was completely empty, but worth a look. And what a look it was.  
  
A half-finished carton of fried rice sat on a low table, and there were tousled blankets that had obviously been slept in the night before. There were empty beer cans scattered about the floor, but no one was in sight. Really, it made me edgy. She wasn't supposed to be here! I was unprepared and suddenly very nervous.  
  
I started to back out the door, but squared my shoulders instead. No. I needed money. And perhaps someone had only spent the night here and left early in the morning. Yes, that had to be it. And so, with courage renewed, I stepped forward and began to slowly approach the next room with gun in hand, finding it perfectly empty and layered in dust. The dirt and grime was so thick that it soiled my shoes, and thick clouds rose beneath my feet, filling my lungs until I choked on a cough.  
  
The next room was much the same, providing no clues, and by then there was a niggling of doubt in my stomach, so I decided to trust my instincts and began to take leave. However, just when I was about to enter the first room again, soft footsteps penetrated my hearing and I whirled around, back to the wall, sucking in a deep breath and trying not to panic. Crap, crap, crap! This was NOT good.  
  
"Faye-Faye?"  
  
I peeked around the corner and breathed an angry sigh of relief. Ed was standing hesitantly in the doorway, blinking green eyes at me in fascination. "Ed!" I scolded. "I told you to stay outside!"  
  
"But I wanted to tell you something," she protested, hands on her hips, frowning a little.  
  
I found myself scowling. "What?"  
  
Her face brightened at my offer to listen, like I had just given her some sort of great invitation. "Well," she said, grinning, "when you were going in, I walked around back and guess who I found sneaking out the back door!"  
  
"Vicious?" I asked sarcastically.  
  
"Nooo," she replied, shaking her head enthusiastically. She raised her arm and gestured for me to follow her as she began to step outside again. "Come and see. Come!"  
  
What to do with little girls? I began to reluctantly follow, not sure what I was to find, or even if it was worth the energy to walk out to the car we had rented. I still wanted to look around the first room a little for some signs of where Taylor Dunmore might currently be, but Ed was not to be put off in matters like this, and I could not concentrate with the child following at my heels. She'd probably found nothing of importance - a stray cat or dog or something.  
  
"Look! Look! Look!" Ed sang, dancing out to the car and stopping to peer in the back seat, her happiness rapidly fading. "Oh my," she sighed, pressing her hands to the glass. "He fell asleep!"  
  
"Who?" I demanded, stalking over. "Don't tell me you let a BUM into our car! This is a rental, Ed!"  
  
"He is not a bum," she sniffed, looking at me defiantly.  
  
I moved past the child and shoved her out of the way, not cruelly, but certainly forcefully. With a tired sigh, I bent down and glared through the tinted window, only to gasp and desperately claw at the door handle, ripping it open.  
  
"Jet!" I gasped, gawking at the man curled up in a fetal position on the back seat, lying on his side with his feet towards my end of the car, head in the opposite direction. He was dirty and his clothes, the same as the ones I had last seen him in, were tattered. What was the worst, though, was that his one arm curled around his body protectively while the other, the robotic one, was flat out missing.  
  
Since he didn't respond except to curl around himself a little more, I assumed he had passed out or was close to doing so. But he was supposed to be dead, wasn't he?! What was he doing hiding out in Taylor Dunmore's recently ransacked lair, and why was all this happening to me?!  
  
"ED!" I screeched. "Get in the car! We need to go!"  
  
"Kay," she replied easily, scrambling into the passenger side and hefting Ein into her lap. The brown and white Corgi squirmed and barked excitedly.  
  
I noticed than with a little bit of pity and more anger that Jet was bleeding from a hidden wound and staining the rental car until it was most likely beyond repair. "Oh, this is great!" I seethed, hopping into the driver's seat and yanking on my seat belt to jerk down so I could buckle it. With the way I was about to be driving, I was certainly going to need it.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Jet couldn't explain to me what was going on. I doubted he would be able to even if he was awake enough to talk. But, for the moment, he was unconscious on the apartment bed, limbs splayed in all directions. It'd been quite a task lugging the heavy man up the stairs with only Ed's help, and avoiding being seen was even harder, but with that accomplished, I realized that all might be a piece of cake compared to repairing his badly damaged body.  
  
"Ed," I instructed my redheaded helper, "get some warm water and the towels from the bathroom. Bring the bandages and the first-aid kit from the closet and be quick about it!"  
  
"Yes, Faye-Faye!" she said, and scampered off obediently, only to return a mere minute later. It seemed as if the child moved with lightning speed. "Here. What now?"  
  
"Just...stay still. I might need something else." I was grimacing and working on peeling off Jet's blood-soaked shirt, nearly gagging when I saw the massive wound across his chest. It was pretty deep towards the left end, but got more shallow the further towards his heart it traveled, which was good, I supposed. Also, it seemed as if it hadn't happened too recently, for it was already caked with dried scarlet fluid and attempting to scab over, though from the looks of the oozing, yellow-white pus it was also very infected. "Oh, this is disgusting!" I cried, looking to the girl beside me to see how she was handling it.  
  
Ed stared quizzically at Jet, murmuring in confusion, "Where'd his arm go...?"  
  
I briefly looked upon his shoulder and the nub of flesh where the arm should've been connected. "He must've lost it or sold it or something," I grumbled, realizing how preposterous it would be for Jet to sell a limb after the words had left my mouth. "Never mind. It's not important. He can get a new one."  
  
"Oh."  
  
I dipped a white cloth in the basin of warm water and gently began to wash his bare torso of the dried blood. He'd lost some weight. Don't get me wrong - he was still a massive man, but it was obvious he hadn't been eating too well.  
  
Ed watched with wide, green eyes as the basin of water clouded with wisps of red liquid.  
  
I moved on up towards the wound, watching Jet's face for signs of discomfort. He wrinkled his large, angled nose a few times, his thin lips twitching, but didn't move otherwise. Carefully, I began to wipe at the tender, purpling skin around the slash, seeing the lines around his eyes crinkle as he squeezed them shut tighter.  
  
"Ed," I murmured, "get a cold cloth and put it over Jet's forehead. I think he has a fever."  
  
She listened, compliant and silent for once in her life.  
  
I poured some peroxide on Jet's chest, over the wound, for it was the best thing for infections that I had access to, and watched as the white froth bubbled over, fizzling like crazy. Jet clenched his teeth at that and grunted, grabbing at the covers and twisting them in his fist. "Hush," I told him sternly, placing one knee on the mattress to get closer just in case he tried to move. "You're fine. Don't move."  
  
He cracked open one, clouded eye and squinted at me, asking in a gravely, hoarse voice, "Faye...?"  
  
"None other," I replied, taking the needle from the first aid kit and threading it.  
  
"What...? Where are...my clothes? Did I lose...them to you...gambling again?"  
  
I suppressed dry laughter. "Talk about a memory lapse. For your information, you are still wearing pants, and we have not been gambling. Lie still now. I have to stitch you up."  
  
Ed instinctively reached out to let him grasp her small hand as the needle pierced his flesh. He cried out, unprepared for it, but basically lay still after that. When it was finished, and after I had cleansed it again, he lay trembling and gasping for breath, swallowing back the exclamations of pain I'm sure he wanted to make.  
  
"So, Jet," I said, pulling the blanket up over his bare shoulders, careful not to agitate the wound, "what's happened to you?"  
  
But his eyes were already closing again, and his fitful breathing was quieting. He still grasped Ed's fingers in his large, callused palm, more loosely now though. Before I could ask him again, he had drifted off to sleep.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Hikari88: Thanks so much for everything! lol Keep on reviewing! ~_^  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: I'm glad you thought the flashback was funny. A touch of humor keeps an angsty story from getting too boring, I think. ^_^  
  
Osa: Aww! Puppies! *pets puppies on head* I love animals! Faye could never be a Mary Sue now, could she? lol She's the only drop-dead gorgeous girl in anime who doesn't agitate me because at the same time, she's got a hilarious personality.  
  
AnimeDragon04: AND I LOVE YOU! *laughs like crazy* See what happens when you say you love my story? hehe  
  
Volk Zyta: Faye and Ed do seem to get along because even if Faye is uptight, Ed is laid back. Maybe they will eventually get to be legal mother and daughter. ~_^  
  
Tina: I think Vicious would have to be obsessive with his dental hygiene cuz his skin is so white, his teeth would look yellow unless they were absolutely perfect! lol  
  
Zithromax: Ugh! Anime DVDs are SO overpriced! I had to pay almost forty bucks for the last seven episodes of Fruits Basket! Can you believe it? lol  
  
Bebop-angel1: So, how's the picture coming along? Thanks for the compliment!  
  
Psycho-CJ: Both Faye and Vicious have done bad things, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be happy...and together - hehe.  
  
Adieu: I tried to make the chapter a little longer this time, but I'm so busy! I'm SORRY! *cries*  
  
Bloody Love: They're not together yet, but Vicious will start to come in, slowly but surely!  
  
REVIEW!!! 


	4. Shin the delivery man!

Sorry this took eons! I've been busy with school and planning homecoming and parties and friends and the like!  
  
~~~~~  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"May! May! May!"  
  
I lifted my head at the enthusiastic calls and grunted, finding the effort too much and resorting to flopping back down onto the bed, my head sinking into the pillow. Vicious was up and running amuck at seven-thirty A.M. again, most likely on a sugar high. "Whaaat?" I groaned loudly.  
  
Vicious bounced into the room, all smiles and with his shoulder-length, white hair flopping in the wind behind him. He was shirtless and clad only in his black boxers, the cordless phone clutched in his hand as he threw out his arms and launched himself onto the bed. "May!" he cried again, effectively bouncing me up into a sitting position. "I found a job! They hired me!"  
  
I blinked at him, not quite comprehending. "Who in the world would hire you?" I murmured in shock.  
  
"A restaurant! I'm going to be a waiter! This is great, huh?" And he was pushing me down before I could react, pinning me flat on my back on the bed he was towering over me with that grin of his. The whiteness of his teeth barely contrasted with the shade of his skin, though his cheeks were flushed with excitement and his eyes were bright. "I finally can contribute," he said in a quieter tone, his gravely voice rumbling in his throat.  
  
"Yeah," I croaked, wriggling out from underneath him. I wasn't so sure how much longer I should wait before I put my revenge into action. The time seemed to be close at hand.  
  
He picked me up like a doll and swung me off the bed and around the room until I felt dizzy and slightly disoriented. And then he hugged me, one of those bone crushing bear hugs, and he said, "Aren't you happy?"  
  
"I'm happy we have a double income now."  
  
"I'm glad." Just like that I was on the ground again, his large hand stroking the top of my head, petting me like I was some type of pet. He smiled affectionately and looked down at my upturned face and suggested, "Let's go back to bed," with that gleam in his eye, the one I was starting to fear.  
  
"Um, no. I'm actually quite awake now!" I said with obviously faked enthusiasm, skipping out of the room and calling out, "Toast? Ok!" while leaving a dazed Vicious in my wake.  
  
(End flashback)  
  
~~~~~  
  
I miss those morning with Vicious. Too Bad I never appreciated them.  
  
Now I had mornings with a hyper child, a barking dog, and a one-armed man.  
  
Jet was up and walking soon enough, though I found him to be a near invalid with his lacking one arm. I swear, I woke up one morning to find him sitting at the table and Ed feeding him a cereal, though he didn't seem to be too willing to eat - especially from her hand.  
  
"Hello, Jet," I said simply, as if no time had passed and Spike had never died and we were back on the Bebop, eating breakfast like any normal day. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Yeah," he mumbled, ducking his head to avoid the flying spoon and having Ed spill milk all over his balding head. "I suppose you're wondering what happened..."  
  
"Actually, I am. What ever happened to the Bebop?"  
  
"Had to sell it. Blasted thing broke down on me and I didn't have enough money to fix it." With his good arm, Jet pushed Ed off his lap and tried to pick the bits of grainy cereal out of the hair he had left. "Heard about my crimes?"  
  
"Uh huh. So, you killed three guys. What's the deal?"  
  
"Met them in an alley where they were taking advantage of some young girl. The situation got out of control."  
  
"Ah, an act of chivalry." I sat across from him at the table and eyed the empty sleeve. "You really need to get that fixed."  
  
"Tell me about it. As punishment, they confiscated it after my first attempt to escape from jail. As you can see, it didn't stop me from getting away the second time. I've got a guy working on it. Care to give me a lift to the place?"  
  
"Hmm...I just saved your life and you're asking even more favors."  
  
He looked at me with a fickle frown, obviously displeased with the dry conversation. To tell the truth, I wasn't enjoying it too much either. Ed was the only one who seemed remotely happy and I just prayed she'd keep her mouth shut until I could corner her and issue threats lest she spill her guts to Jet about our search for Vicious.  
  
"Just let me use your phone then," Jet countered testily. "I'll have him deliver it. It'll cost more, but if it's the only way I can get it..."  
  
I didn't bother to reply - just stood up and dump the coffee into the sink.  
  
~~~~~  
  
When the doorbell rang, telling of the man who was bringing Jet's new arm, I was the first to reach the door. And when I swung it open, before me stood a man who was perhaps a few years younger than me, and rather handsome - tall and lean with broad shoulders and slicked back, coal- colored hair. His slanted, emerald eyes flashed at seeing me and he nervously shifted the box to his other arm, his sharp features tensing. Somehow, he looked almost familiar...  
  
"Hello," I said, extending my palm to take the box from him. "Jet's inside."  
  
He misunderstood my action and firmly shook my hand, replying, "Thank you. Miss...?"  
  
"Valentine. Faye Valentine."  
  
He nodded stiffly and walked inside, brushing shoulders with me, and carefully sat the long box down on the table. "May I speak with Jet?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." I hurried off to fetch the other man, all the while trying to place the face. Hmm...my social life had a narrow range and didn't involve many men, so he probably wasn't a friend, old or new. Where in the world had I seen him? Ok, he worked in someplace that manufactured artificial limbs...or something weird like that. Maybe he was some private mechanic for hire? In that case, I didn't find a way to have known him either...  
  
Wait. He wasn't someone I knew - he merely looked like someone I had once known. That was it. When Vicious had kidnapped me that one time, back when Spike was still alive, he had had some sort of assistant that constantly hovered over him, a silent, young man with a grim expression and his name was...Lin. Yeah, that delivery guy looked a lot like Lin.  
  
"Jet!" I poked my head into the doorway of the bedroom, where he was sleeping on the blankets I had thrown out on the floor for him. "How much do you know about the delivery guy?"  
  
"Uhn? Shin here?"  
  
"Shin is awfully close to the name Lin, isn't it?" I demanded, watching as he groggily rose and ambled out to the kitchen, scratching at his head.  
  
"Huh? Uh, yeah. Why?"  
  
Definitely in a brooding mood now, I shot back, "Just wondering."  
  
Jet and Shin conversed and haggled while I took up residence on a barstool at the counter and glared thoughtfully at Shin, who, judging from the hurried looks he sent in my direction, also recognized me. However, if he did want to say anything, which I didn't think he did, he couldn't simply because Jet was arguing rather loudly about the delivery price.  
  
Jet left after quite a deal of bantering with a sigh of exhaustion, heading back to the bedroom to retrieve some money to pay Shin. Left alone with the man, I turned to him and lazily inquired, "Want something to drink, Shin?"  
  
"Uh...yeah." He glanced away. "Just water."  
  
"Easy enough." I pulled a clean glass out of the cupboard and turned the water spout on, pouring him a healthy amount of liquid. "Would you by chance have something you want to say to me?"  
  
He grinned handsomely as he took the water from me and shook his head. "No, Miss, I really don't think I do." He paused. "I'm sorry if I seem to be staring. You almost look familiar. You don't work at the grocery store downtown, do you?"  
  
A difficult one, eh? Well, if he had any way of helping me find Vicious, I was going to get him to rally with me - whether he liked it or not. From my pocket I pulled my wallet, and then, flipping it open, pulled out a photograph I had folded thrice, holding it out to him and asking, "Recognize this man?"  
  
He stared long and hard at the picture of a smiling Vicious, all scruffy looking from having just waken and still in the sweatpants and T-shirt he slept in. Slowly, the color drained from his face, green eyes widening in shock. "Vicious?" he inquired quietly, and when I nodded, "How did you get this picture?"  
  
"Took it the morning before he left me, actually."  
  
"Oh...? He's still alive then... I'd thought for sure..."  
  
"That Spike had killed him? Yes, we all did."  
  
"You knew Spike too?"  
  
"Yes. Jet and Spike and I were...together for a while before Spike died. Now, you tell me - how do you know Spike and Vicious?"  
  
Shin's slanted eyes flashed beautifully, and when he opened his mouth to speak, I knew that he would supply me with many answers in the near future.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Vicious."  
  
"Yes?" The pale, stony-faced man turned to direct his attention towards a highly jittery attendant, a poor replacement for Lin, if he did say so himself.  
  
"It is all arranged."  
  
Vicious nodded grimly. His new syndicate was developing at the speed of a child, something he could not afford. Currently in their toddler stage, it seemed, the trainees were making countless mistakes and several had been killed during heists and a few, including himself, had been imprisoned during the latest drug deal. All the higher members were simply the ones he had gathered from before, the ones who had agreed to work under him once more.  
  
He stood and walked to the window of the warehouse, staring dispassionately out over the scenery. It really was a lot less dreary than where he had lived during his amnesiac period with that blasted woman. Faye Valentine. She was certainly no Julia.  
  
But that was, perhaps, a good thing.  
  
"And you're sure he is there?"  
  
"We are confident, sir. He has been seen leaving there the last three mornings and when we investigated today, it seemed to be lived in. He has been earning a living as mechanic."  
  
Vicious' lips twitched grimly. "I never even suspected he was good with his hands."  
  
His subordinate said nothing.  
  
"Just where is this warehouse, Hiromi?"  
  
"It's in the decaying part of town - Blackberry Beach Road."  
  
"Ah." Vicious knew just the place he was talking about. "Gather the men. We leave in approximately three hours."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Shin stroked his clean-shaven chin in a thoughtful manner as I showed him all the pictures of Spike I had just recently begun to unpack. He and Jet had resolved their squabble once it had been established they knew the same legendary man, and both were now, without my permission, hanging the frames up on the wall.  
  
I, personally, did not wish to have the smirking, green-haired idiot in my new apartment. My thing for him had been temporary...madness? Well, maybe I HAD loved him, but he was dead and painful memories were not meant to be fooled with, so why not just focus on Vicious? Not that I could say such a thing to Jet....  
  
Or Shin.  
  
Shin didn't seem to like Vicious. He talked of him with disrespect and bitterness and spoke of Spike with longing in his lovely green eyes. He was a handsome man, but I found his hatred for Vicious a bit too much.  
  
"Spike trained both my brother and me," Shin said quietly as he held a photograph of the said man practicing his martial arts in both hands. "I had always hoped he would come back to the syndicate and put an end to Vicious' tyranny."  
  
Jet, his arm still unattached and lying on the kitchen table, puffed a little angrily on his cigarette and muttered Vicious' name and other select words under his breath.  
  
Shin shrugged his shoulders as if letting the regret and frustration roll off his back. "Jet, if you want, I can attach that arm for you later."  
  
"Good, because I don't think I can do it myself," he grunted. "And it doesn't seem like Faye here is up for the challenge either." He jerked his thumb in my direction, at which I snorted but did not deny his claim.  
  
"Well," Shin said with a grin, brushing some dust off the left shoulder of his gray trench coat, "have me over for dinner and I'll take you down there and do it in a few hours."  
  
"Alright," Jet eagerly agreed, not even bothering to confirm with ME, the resident of the apartment. Then again, perhaps getting closer to Shin would get me closer to Vicious.  
  
Curiously, I turned to the young man and found that he was already smiling at me with a perfect set of white teeth. "Where do you live?" I asked curiously, recovering quickly from the shock of having his gaze resting solely on me.  
  
"Oh, it's not much of a place. Just an old building downtown where I do most of my work. Ever heard of Blackberry Beach Road?"  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Bloody Love: Thanks for the review! Vicious comes in the next chapter and they actually meet! Aren't you excited?  
  
Hikari88: Wheee! Thanx for telling me where to get Saiyuki manga! I appreciate it! Keep reading!  
  
AnimeAngel707: Thanks for letting me know!  
  
Psycho-CJ: Aww...that's so nice! ^_^  
  
Volk Zyta: I couldn't kill him off! lol  
  
Zithromax: Vicious shows up next chapter! Yay! Well, I imagine you'd have to keep your teeth white if you were that pale, right, Vicious? *prods unhappy Vicious* Ooook... *backs away*  
  
Kaelin77: Yay! I've got attitude! *beams happily at the compliment!* Thanks and keep reviewing!  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: Aww, I'm sorry. I didn't find it boring, but I'm just that type of person. Hang in there - next few chapters gets really exciting with some tense confrontations between Faye and Vicious! Oh yeah, and there are guns - lots of guns!  
  
Bebop-angel1: Yes, Vicious tends to be evil! Keep on trying because I'm anxious to see! I'm sure many people would appreciate their own Vicious to pose for them...hehe  
  
Alright, everyone, review! 


	5. The five second mercy of Vicious

Well guys, this took forever to update, and I sincerely apologize. Vicious is in this chapter and also appears in the next, which is more intense than this one, so even more action on the way! I thanked the reviewers at the end, so if you reviewed the last chapter, look for your name!  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"So, Shin, this place looks pretty rundown." I couldn't help but stare skeptically at the near-crumbling warehouse our new 'friend' had led us to. I'd dished out some of my best chicken AND a bowl of ice cream to be led to such a junky building? If there were any answers to where Vicious might currently be, I highly doubted they'd be lurking around this future wrecking zone.  
  
Shin looked appreciatively at his home, smiling. "It's not much, but it is quite suitable. Come inside - I'll get you something to drink, Faye, while I fix Jet's arm."  
  
Ed trailed along behind us, fascinated with all the junk heaped up in the scraggly yard, every now and then exclaiming about something that impressed her. An old tire in a funny shape - a chewed up dog collar. It didn't take much.  
  
I was glad we'd left Ein home.  
  
Jet talked up a storm with Shin as we made our way to his front door, and I couldn't help but resent him for complaining the entire time about what a horrible person Vicious was, about how he had killed Spike. Shin wholeheartedly agreed, because, after all, he had lost his twin brother to Vicious. While glaring at him in hatred though, I had time to realize just how stunningly handsome he was.  
  
I mean, REALLY handsome. Just to be factual. He was younger than me by a few years, I was guessing, and had smooth, creamy skin with a sharp nose and slanted green eyes. His black hair, slicked back and then spiked in some possible style, looked almost carefree. When he smiled, his long face with its high cheekbones seemed to brighten.  
  
He smiled a lot.  
  
"And here it is!" he said proudly, swinging open the door after the painful process of unlocking it with a rusty key. "My humble abode! I'm sure you're used to better, Faye..." He turned to wink at me, obviously insinuating I thought myself too good for him and his current place of occupation.  
  
I said nothing in reply to that comment, venturing slowly in and looking around. "Is it always this messy?"  
  
Shin narrowed his eyes and peered around, slowly nodding. "Usually...but..." He paused and his eyes fixed on something in the corner. I tried to follow his gaze, but saw nothing in the wide, spacious room, cluttered with different areas that resembled various rooms but had no walls. A stove to the left with a sink, an unmade bed off to the far right, and some couches and chairs off to the center with a TV set on the cement floor. I was guessing one of the many doors led to a bathroom. Clothes were strewn everywhere, along with various projects in the works, it looked.  
  
Shin stumbled through the debris to a small dresser and knelt down to pick up a snow globe that fallen to the floor and shattered. "Oh, crap," he breathed, and I only heard him because I was now hovering over him. And then, with widened eyes and a pale face, he turned and screamed, "JET! OUT!"  
  
Jet furrowed his brow and looked unsure, but grabbed hold of Ed and began to turn, just as a bullet whizzed past the girl's shoulder, causing her to cry out in shock.  
  
Shin threw his body heavily to the side and knocked me to the ground, dropping to the floor as well. From his trench coat, he whipped out a revolver and turned to fire off at the enemy, a man standing in the balcony and still shooting. Immediately after Shin's shot, he dropped out of sight, wounded.  
  
More rose up to take his place and I screamed at the top of my lungs, infuriated. This was NOT what I had had in mind when I'd agreed to come to Shin's place. Quickly, I rose onto my hands and knees and began to climb hurriedly around the hard floor, jaw clenched as I scurried about, taking cover behind first the freezer and then a chair. A bullet ripped through my sleeve, the breeze it made whispering against my arm, and I winced. Who in the world would be attacking Shin?  
  
Suddenly, a flash of white caught my eye and my heart leapt. Vicious! It had to be him! Only he had that sort of hair! Of course, I should've guessed. This was a revenge mission on Shin for helping Spike back at the last confrontation between the two enemies. "Vicious!" I cried, and taking a mad gamble, rose to my feet and began to pursue him, dodging bullets as I went.  
  
He must've heard me call his name because suddenly there was a ghost of a man hovering over me, suspended for a moment amidst the battle with a gun in hand and a black trench coat swirling around him like some sort of (to be poetic) mist or cloud. The noise in the background became muffled as I was captivated and horrified by the glaring look his cool gray eyes shot down the bridge of his narrow nose in my direction, by the way he scowled and raised his gun as if to shoot me.  
  
But he didn't. Instead, he lifted his arm a little, purposely shooting over my shoulder, and nearly nailed Shin in the head. Yeah, I felt bad for Shin, but at the same time, a little pleased that Vicious had passed up the chance to kill me.  
  
This was getting psychotic.  
  
And then Vicious revealed to me a knowing little smirk and he was moving again, dashing away on long, lean legs that ate up the distance as if it was nothing.  
  
"Faye!" Shin swooped by and jerked me to my feet, dragging me hurriedly along towards the door. I ran stiffly and mechanically behind him until his hand slipped from my wrist and he stumbled, tripping over a fallen lamp. At that moment, when I stood dumbfounded and waiting for him to rise, I felt a sharp pang radiate through my leg and immediately my knees buckled, causing me to crash unceremoniously down beside him. I cried out in reaction to the pain and the chaos and then fell silent, confused as to what had happened. A coursing, pulsing, trail of blood was winding its way down my thigh.  
  
Shin scooped me up into his arms, and I was too dizzy to complain. I saw him turn and call to Jet, yelling at him to take Ed and the car, and I vaguely wondered how we where going to escape. I did, however, see Jet running to save his own butt, and even as my mind wondered how he'd do driving with only one arm, I whispered under my fading breath, "Jerk...leaving me behind..."  
  
Yes, I was very close to passing out now, only seeing the shadow of what was happening. Shin bleeding from an angry gash in his forehead, running at top speed with his arms securely cradling my limp body, not slowing him down in the least. And then he was bursting out the back door with armed men right at his heels, diving through some brush and momentarily losing them as he staggered in between some briars and scraggly trees. In a small clearing I spotted our destination - a barely held together motorcycle.  
  
"Shin," I grunted, "tell me that is NOT your escape plan...?"  
  
"I'm sorry to sat it is," he gasped breathlessly, throwing me over the back like a sack of potatoes. I screamed in both anger and pain, feeling the sharp pain come back to my injured leg.  
  
"I was shot, you know!"  
  
"So was I," he said easily. "In a few places." He was straddling the front of the bike, his boot on the gas as he heaved himself up and then gave a pathetic little jump, bringing his foot down heavily on the pedal to get it started. It sputtered, apparently as sick as we, and then gave signs of starting. He did it again, and the machine revved to life, tearing wildly out of the bushes. I barely had enough time to wrap my arms securely around his waist in order to keep from flying off.  
  
"Hold on!" Shin screamed above the wind and gunshots as he swerved hard to the right, so much that I feared the motorcycle would tip over and my ankle near scraped concrete. It got sort of blurry after that, and seeing as how I could never remember the rest of the ride, I guess I passed out.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Faye, Faye, come on, Faye!"  
  
I awoke to a somewhat annoying mantra of my name and realized that I was walking. Somewhat. Shin had looped my arm around his shoulders and was dragging me along even as he struggled to keep my body upright. I blinked dazedly and fumbled to gather my bearings even as the throbbing in my leg distracted my frazzled mind. "Where are we...?" I tried to ask, but it came out as only a whisper.  
  
"Some cheap motel," he grunted, turning a corner in the hallway and stopping by a door. "I know the owner. I just lost Vicious and didn't want to run the risk of leading him back to Jet or meeting up again on the way there." Quickly, he slid a room key card through the slot and the lock clicked.  
  
"Are you ok?" I asked quietly, trying to stand by myself as he stumbled to open the door and staggered within. He'd been more heavily damaged than I had with a head wound, bullet still embedded in his shoulder, and various cuts on his arms.  
  
"Yes," he answered shortly, gesturing towards the bed. "Sit down."  
  
I did as he said, if only for the reason that I was getting dizzy again.  
  
Shin made his way into the bathroom and took out a first aid kit, making me wonder if he came to the same room often to hide. Why was Vicious after him anyway? Oh yeah. The man's all about revenge. I grimaced at the thought and watched Shin drag a chair over to the bedside.  
  
"Lie down," he said in a voice that spoke of fading strength. Once I had done as he had commanded, he took a wash cloth warm with hot water and sponged around the wound, clearing away the dried blood. He looked pleasantly surprised upon further inspection. "It's a scrape - a deep one, but a scrape all the same."  
  
Well, it certainly didn't FEEL like a scrape. And I really didn't appreciate his making light of my situation, or his having to examine me in the first place. I felt almost stupid lying there with Shin trying to take care of the cut on the outside of my lower thigh.  
  
"You'll be up and walking in no time," he commented happily, cleaning it with some sort of clear liquid - anti-septic, I think - that stung horribly and made me howl in frustration. He chuckled a little, eyes crinkling at the corner.  
  
He had very nice eyes, full of color unlike Vicious' stormy, blank ones.  
  
After he had bandaged the cut, I rolled my head around on the pillow and watched with heavily-lidded eyes as he treated himself, taking a pair of tweezers and gouging them around in his shoulder wound in a pathetic attempt to rid himself of the bullet embedded there, but it was too far up along for him to successfully see. After several painful and gory attempts, which brought him near to tears, I tired of watching his strained expression and seeing how hard he bit down on his lower lip.  
  
"Come here," I demanded grouchily, "and I will get it out for you."  
  
Shin was obviously at his wit's end for he obediently moved over beside me and handed over the tweezers. I sat up, found I had no balance whatsoever, and placed a hand on his opposite, unwounded shoulder, leaning delicately against his chest. Tired as I was, I found strength to raise my arm and carefully extract the bullet. It did help that Shin had a good grip on my upper arms and was helping keep them steady.  
  
The aggravating little slug fell to the wooden floor with a clatter and the tweezers soon followed. It was then that I realized how truly late it was. Probably around ten or eleven. I yawned loudly, jaw stretching farther than I knew it could, and I felt Shin gently lay me back down and return to bandaging himself. When he had finished (I was near asleep, watching from the corner of my gaze), he climbed into the bed and lay down next to me, face down.  
  
We were both out before I could even complain.  
  
~~~~~  
  
There you go! I promise to get the next chapter out a heck of a lot faster!  
  
Kaelin77: Glad it was worth the wait! Hope you like this chapter too!  
  
Hikari88: Sorry this took a little while....lol Keep reviewing!  
  
AnimeAngel707: Thank you so much! Keep reviewing, please!  
  
Midnight Scribbler: I know, I know! My updates take forever! lol The next one will come faster!  
  
Psycho-CJ: Hey, that's a great idea! Sure, he'll have a little crush on her. Aww, I just love Shin!  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: Sorry I made you wait! I'm just so lazy...  
  
A-chan5: Well, thank you! Review again!  
  
Ohayominnasan: ^.^  
  
Hydrokitty: I know I love my bad guys! I'll be kind to him - cross my heart!  
  
Zithromax: Yay! *dances around* Thank you so much! I'll try my best to keep it getting better and better too! Keep reviewing! ~_^  
  
Volk Zyta: Shin doesn't get near enough attention! He really should be in more fanfiction!  
  
Smut bunny princess: Voila! I have continued!  
  
Pink Pooglie: I'm trying not to rush! Vicious will be in the next chapter as well ^_^  
  
DJ Destiny: Actually, Shin did get hurt...sorry. But he's ok!  
  
Thank you to all who reviewed! I love ya' all!  
  
Review this chapter as well if you love me! Haha... 


	6. Inside the Syndicate

Well, I happened to get my first flame on this story recently, and let me comment on it.  
  
This is the flame:  
  
Your story kinda went downhill...WTF? It did go downhill..sucks  
  
This is what I have to say:  
  
Hey, sorry if it's not as exciting as before, but it's getting there and I don't want to rush it! And, the reviewer put '...' as their name. This is just cowardly! If you're gonna flame me, at least let me know who you are - otherwise your opinion means nothing because you just happen to be an idiot scared of letting me know who you are because you think I'll retaliate (which I won't, you big chicken!). Plus, just saying 'this went downhill' doesn't help me improve it at all. *clucks tongue*  
  
Thank you to all you who left reviews, even '...' - even though they in particular offered nothing even semi-intelligent.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Ironically, it felt like I slept for eternity, and the only reason I woke up at all was because I felt the bed shake and heard a rather forceful thud accompanied by a scream as Shin was thrown across the room. Yes, that got me wide awake in no time, green eyes snapping open and heart racing in panic.  
  
The door was locked tight still, speaking of no intruders, but Shin was sitting on the ground with his back to the wall, head hanging forward in pain and defeat. A man dressed all in black stood before him, talking to his partner in such a loud, rushed way that I couldn't quite keep up with my sleep-slogged mind. And then, nodding, the other one stepped forward and delivered a heavy kick square to his chest that brought the broken body to life, throwing Shin's head back as he cried out.  
  
I began to scramble off the bed, not really knowing what I was going to do afterwards, but my feet had scarcely touched the floor before I felt a strong pair of hands wrap around my arms and twist them cruelly behind my back. All I was really capable of doing then was writhing in the grasp and pathetically gasping, "Ouch! That HURTS!"  
  
My captor paid no mind, but gave a cold, heartless little laugh at my expense. He wrestled briefly with me, swaying from side to side as I jerked back and forth, and then brought me closer to his own body, sliding an arm around my neck. "Quit it," he growled, irritated now.  
  
I froze. That voice... Briefly, I was able to turn my head and land eyes on the man, my wide-eyed gaze met by the expressionless face of none other than Vicious. He didn't smile or smirk or even frown. His lips were a straight line that spoke of nothing, but I could feel my own mouth trembling and my eyes filling with tears because he was going to kill me and Shin. I just knew it. He was REALLY going to kill me.  
  
Vicious.  
  
"Vicious..."  
  
He didn't hear me as I sagged a little against him and gave up because this was the end. Who was I kidding? Vicious was the one who killed Spike - he forced Julia to stay with him when she wanted to leave. Benjamin - the name Vicious had called himself - was just an illusion now. I could scarcely remember him... Had he been someone else?  
  
Shin tried to stumble to his feet, staggering a little as blood dripped from all his reopened wounds. "Don't," he hissed, chest heaving for breath, "touch her! LET HER GO!"  
  
Vicious nodded at the two men again and one cracked Shin smartly over the head with the butt of his gun.  
  
"VICIOUS!" Shin screamed, like it was some sort of swear word. "VICIOUS!" And he dropped to his knees and received a swift kick to the gut and then another blow to the head. He rolled onto the floor and lay still, bruised and bleeding from his scarlet lips.  
  
"Stop it!" I shouted, and then, begging, "Please! You're hurting him! You're HURTING him!"  
  
Looking back later, I found myself thinking, 'what kind of stupid comment is that?' That was fully their intention, to hurt Shin. They wanted him to suffer.  
  
I was about to babble some more idiocy when Vicious turned me around and slapped the back of his hand smartly across my face, the sound of his palm colliding with my cheek ringing in my ears so that I began to sob afterwards.  
  
And that's really not like me.  
  
And then Vicious pushed me down to my knees and he placed his hands on my shoulders and he told me, "Watch, Miss Valentine. See what happens to people who betray me? Just like Spike and Julia..."  
  
I watched as Shin was beat long after he passed out and then they picked up his shattered form and carried the barely breathing man from the room, leaving streaks of blood on the wall and floor. Vicious didn't stick around long after, and neither did I. He called in another man and pushed me towards him.  
  
"Take her back," he said flippantly, cold eyes following as I was numbly escorted from the room.  
  
~~~~~  
  
The syndicate was just an old building, but it was beautifully furnished - like real offices. The symbol of a red dragon was emblazoned on the wooden floor, absolutely artistic. Everyone strolling about had well-tailored uniforms - black with trim of gold. Vicious was cruel, he was unfeeling, and he clearly understood I loved him and therefore enjoyed torturing me - but he really could pull an organization together in no time flat.  
  
My guard passed me off to a woman, some secretary, it looked like, and she was a bit more kind - though that's not saying much. She took my arm, seeing as how I was badly shaken up, and led me to a 'holding room'. It was really plain with just a cot and a window, but it was nicer than where Shin probably was. "Someone will be in to see you shortly," she said with a frown, closing the door.  
  
I heard a lock click almost immediately afterwards.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Two hours later, enter the bulldozer. I call him the bulldozer because he is a massive, massive man with broad shoulders and muscular limbs and a head of thick, jet black hair that was pushed back by a headband decorated with none other than - you guessed it - a red dragon. While scary in appearance, if you simply look at his face, he is not ugly, almost handsome, really, but his features are too hard and too large and his lips are much too thin and his eyes are simply dull. Blue, I think, but not a pretty blue.  
  
However, unlike most people here, he does smile. And he's a doctor. A man that large should NOT be a doctor! He should be...something that does not involve precision and needles and people's lives.  
  
"My name is Desma," he said easily. "Vicious sent me."  
  
"Vicious sent you?" I repeated dumbly.  
  
"Yes. He's concerned about your leg."  
  
Angry, I snapped, "I didn't know Vicious was concerned about anything."  
  
"He's not, usually."  
  
Desma was unusually good at taking care of the wound, which surprised me, but I suppose syndicates need good doctors with all the gun fights that go on. Then, much to my surprise, he asked me if I wanted to go with him to see Shin, who hadn't been looked at yet.  
  
I told him I'd like to go, and after the display earlier, I had not realized Shin was meant to heal.  
  
"He's just being punished," Desma said simply, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Vicious is going to offer him another job and if he doesn't take it, then we'll see how well he fares."  
  
We came to Shin's room and entered, and man, did I ever want to throw up. Shin was a bloody mess of a man. Stretched out across a simple cot in a room surprisingly like the one given to me, he had stripped of all his torn bandages and left the wounds open, bleeding, raw. His left eye was encased in a circle of soft, purpled flesh, and scrapes and bruises littered the rest of his body. Slowly, one green eye rolled over towards me and he bared a crooked grin, blood crusted at the corners of his mouth.  
  
"Hey...Faye," he whispered, breath rattling in his throat. "You ok?"  
  
"Yeah," I choked out. It was almost heart-breaking, his concern for my well being when he was so hurt. "How about you?"  
  
"Ah...it hurts. I hope Jet got back ok..."  
  
"I'm sure he did."  
  
I sat and held his hand as Desma began to poke and prod at his wounds. Every now and then his fingers curled around mine so tight I thought they'd fall off, but he always released me soon afterward with a gigantic sigh. The stitching was the worst by far, for Desma gave him no warning and nothing to ease the pain, just plunged on ahead and scolded him for jumping in surprise.  
  
"Vicious...came by..." Shin grunted through a clenched jaw, gripping my hand tight in his as he squinted up at the ceiling. "Didn't say much... Did he...talk to you?"  
  
"No," I said, rather thankful for that. I didn't really want to see him after what he'd done. The reality of facing that the man I'd been in love with had not even died, but disappeared all together within another, was a very hard thing to accept.  
  
Shin passed out shortly after and I remained on the edge of his bed, gently smoothing my fingers over his damp hair, watching the pain melt away from his expression. I would've stayed there until he had awoken again had Desma not forced me to leave.  
  
~~~~~  
  
I eventually bored myself to sleep in the little holding room, staring out the window and wistfully hoping that maybe the ghost of Spike would come and set me free.  
  
Hey, nine hours alone in a tiny room can drive you nuts.  
  
I snuggled under the single sheet on the stiff mattress and looked one last time out at the dark, star-littered sky, sighing. Vicious, back when he called himself Benjamin, had a million corny phrases about stars in the skies. It was like he wanted to be a poet, but just didn't have the right flare for it.  
  
"Look," he would say, while I lay in bed, pretending to be asleep. "The stars are so bright tonight! Like lanterns to guide the lonely, don't you think?"  
  
Granted, the line did sound nice with his voice. Very low, rumbling, oddly comforting.  
  
I always was in bed while he stood at the window, gazing out and smiling to himself over the beauty he found everywhere around him in the world. And then he would turn, grin in my direction, and say, "Don't you like the star's? Their the poor man's diamond, it seems to me."  
  
"Hmph," I had grumbled.  
  
He came over and crawled into the bed, inquiring, "Still sick?"  
  
"Very."  
  
"Oh." He laid down beside me, on top of the covers whereas I was under, and slung an arm carefully around my waist, his head on the pillow behind mine so that his breath stirred my hair. "Night then."  
  
"Good night, Vicious...."  
  
I opened my eyes, back in that annoyingly small holding room, snuggled down in that horrible bed. Drowsily, I contemplated what was going on inside my heart and why I had wasted so much time and worried way too much.  
  
My heavy eyelids fell shut again as a little sigh slipped from my mouth - dreams didn't come easy now. But I still tried to envision those nights where I'd felt secure and loved and hadn't even realized it. I tried to let myself slide down into that memory and recall the sounds of Vicious moving restlessly through the room, murmuring to himself and sometimes to me.  
  
"Miss Valentine?"  
  
I flew up in the bed, startled at the voice. The secretary from before, still in uniform, was standing in my doorway with that officious look of hers. With one long forefinger, she pushed the glasses higher up on her nose and narrowed her eyes at me. "Vicious has requested your presence."  
  
Great. Things were going from bad to just intolerable. It couldn't get much worse.  
  
"In his bedroom," she added.  
  
Then again, maybe it could.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Review! I would thank everyone individually here, but I fell off a horse today and sprained my wrist, so it hurts too much to type unless I do it one-handed, and that takes a while! I really do appreciate EVERY review I got though - except for that one flame, and that's only because it was just plain pointless and obviously born from a mind of low intelligence... If you're going to flame me, at least tell me WHY - and don't be a coward about it. Leave a name.  
  
Yes, I'm still fuming.  
  
Ouch - my wrist kills!  
  
Review! 


	7. A Little Competition

Alright, came out with the new chapter and my wrist hardly hurts anymore. I went to a chiropractor and learned my hip had been jostled so hard when I got bucked off the horse that my back wasn't aligned properly so I got that fixed and now I'm looking for a new place to ride. lol  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Just a warning," the secretary said quietly as we walked down the hall side by side, "Vicious is not calling you to his bedroom for any of the reasons you may be entertaining in that empty head of yours, so do not try to lay hands on him. He merely wants to speak to you and explain your future, however short it may be." She paused, glancing with big, doe brown eyes in my direction. I had not noticed their roundness nor color before because they hid behind thick glasses. They were quite pretty, actually, although her personality was not, and the next words she spoke were downright ugly. "Vicious is mine, do you understand?"  
  
We rounded a cold, dark corner and continued walking as I shot back, "I don't think Vicious belongs to anyone. Any girl stupid enough to declare that must've never heard about Julia."  
  
From her perplexed look, I realized with delight she never had. One quick smirk in her direction was all it took to make her petite nose wrinkle in disgust. "Who is Julia?" she demanded reluctantly.  
  
"Vicious' old girlfriend. Ask about her sometime - ask about how she died."  
  
"If you're trying to scare me away from Vicious, then it won't -"  
  
"Why am I threat to you anyway, girlie? Huh? You're relationship with him in trouble? Do you even HAVE a relationship with Vicious?"  
  
"Why you -"  
  
And before the cat fight of the century erupted, a large hand descended on each of our shoulders and a familiar voice, rich and taunting, interrupted with, "Claire, keep your childish feelings out of this, please. Vicious would be angry if he found you two wrestling outside his door."  
  
I turned and glared up at Desma a.k.a. the bulldozer doctor and felt an extreme irritation fly up in me at the entertained little smile he bestowed upon us. "I don't care about Vicious anymore," I muttered, and turned away. "I just want out of here." With Shin, I silently added. And then, aloud, "How is Shin, Desma?"  
  
"Oh, he's...fair. Healing quickly." Desma frowned. "Amazingly, they only broke the fingers of his left hand. I think one of the more heavyset guards stepped on him. Do you want me to take you to Vicious' room since Claire is letting her emotions interfere?"  
  
"Yes. I'd appreciate that," I growled, watching Claire huffily make her exit. Once she was gone, I turned to the man and demanded, "Is she telling the truth about her and Vicious?"  
  
"In a way. He does seem to be partial towards her, and they often kiss in public, when he is in a better mood, though nothing is official as far as I can see." Desma stopped at an elevator and pressed the button, the doors sliding open almost immediately. As we stepped inside, he punched in the top floor number and remarked, "Claire is worried about you. Vicious has never called anyone to his room like this. He's been ignoring her all day, saying he's had other things on his mind. Oh well - serves Claire right, spoiled brat that she is."  
  
"So, you don't like her?"  
  
"Oh no! I love her." Desma grinned almost charmingly as the doors opened and we stepped out into the dimly lit hall again. "She's my sister, after all."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Less than a minute later, Desma had deposited me at Vicious' room and promptly left. I shakily walked in, looked around the sparsely decorated room and at the gigantic bed and at the ghost-like man sitting at the desk in his sweat pants and gray T-shirt. Vicious was writing in a book of some sort, and he did not stop on my accord. In fact, he took his time finishing, and then, setting the pen down, quietly rose and turned around.  
  
I stiffened, a little afraid of his unpredictable nature, and watched as he strode slowly forward, face pale and gaunt and dark circles beneath the eyes - so bare, like naked, polished stone.  
  
"Miss Valentine," he said quietly, gruffly, "I do not know what to do with you." And he touched my cheek with one cold hand, not really because he wanted to, it seemed, but more because he knew I didn't want him to. He stood there, palm pressed to my face, and seemed to consider his options. "Perhaps, I should keep you until your worth is apparent. Since I want to monitor you more carefully, for I know how deceitful and tricky you can be..."  
  
Ouch. Ok, so I lied to you, Vicious. So I told you we were married while plotting kill you. No reason to call me those things, really.  
  
"You will now be rooming in the adjoining apartment," he continued, pointing to the door which I had assumed led to a closet. "You will rise every morning when I call you, and you will accompany me when I command it. Other than that, you will remain there. Cameras monitor everything, understand?"  
  
"Hn, yeah," I grimaced, and then, in faltering steps, followed him to the door and walked through when he motioned for me to do so. What an uneventful visit! It didn't even last five minutes, and the room he put me in, the room was...  
  
Gorgeous.  
  
I could scarcely believe it. With an Asian motif, red and gold wallpaper, an intricately patterned bedspread, and bamboo furniture, it surpassed any room I'd ever had by far. In fact, it looked like one of those fancy hotel suites. Just what was Vicious up to anyway?  
  
"It is pleasing to you, isn't it?" Vicious asked, drawing up beside me with disgust in his voice. He turned and looked down at me with superiority gleaming in his eyes, and then, taking my face in his hands, he leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't too impressive - his lips barely skimmed mine and felt icy cold.  
  
"Do you still love me?" he demanded in a whisper, remaining almost nose to nose with me, eyelids drooping low to shade gray orbs.  
  
I took a moment to think, and them, in a faint murmur, "No..."  
  
We remained standing so close together I couldn't tell where I began and he ended for several minutes. He seemed to be searching me with nothing but his eyes and his fingertips, which brushed lightly over my cheek. Finally, he touched his forehead to mine, smiled, and said, "You are wiser than I thought then."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Vicious has nightmares.  
  
That night, I woke up to his terrified shrieks passing, muffled, through the door separating our rooms. My heart was near pounding out of my chest by the time I realized what it was, for the screams were almost unnatural, not like a human's and most certainly not like a man's. They were horrifying, really, desperate and full of terror. What could he be dreaming about? What could be so drastic to make him cry out as if he was being pulled apart limb by limb?  
  
I tried to ignore it, but when a sound like that is coming from just beside you, all ambition to sleep is lost. Finally, after a few minutes, I slipped out of bed and crept over to the door, opening it just a crack and peering through. As I was contemplating whether to storm in and comfort him though, the door across the room opened and Claire dashed in, clad in her pajamas.  
  
"Vicious! Vicious!" she hurriedly whispered, clambering up on the bed and kneeling beside him on the mattress. Firmly, she placed her palms on his cheeks, which were wet with tears, and held his face in place. "Shh, shh! It's a nightmare, Vicious! Wake up!"  
  
Vicious turned restlessly a few more times and then sat stiffly up, doubling over and allowing her to drape an arm across his back.  
  
My eyes widened in jealousy and then I turned away, shutting the door as quietly as possible.  
  
Maybe they did have a relationship.  
  
~~~~~  
  
I could hear Vicious moving around and talking to someone the next morning, but he hadn't called me yet, so I stood with my ear pressed to the door and eavesdropped. At first I had no idea who his visitor was, but the more I listened, the more clear the voices became. Before I could really pick up on anything though, Vicious called my name and beckoned me to join them.  
  
"Good morning, Miss Valentine," Vicious said curtly when I walked in. He had already dressed in a slightly more elaborate version of the syndicate's uniform, but Claire was wearing a thin, silk kimono style robe over her knee-length night gown. Instead of having her dusky brown hair up in a tight bun, like the first time I'd seen her, she had let it cascade down over her back, long and wavy, and her glasses were gone. She was actually more pretty than I'd like to admit.  
  
"Claire told me Desma took you to see Shin," he continued after a significant pause. He was standing by the doorway whereas Claire was seated comfortably on his bed, smirking at me. "Does this mean you two are well acquainted?"  
  
I said nothing.  
  
Vicious tilted his head to the side and give the barest hint of a smile. "Of course. You must be. After all, you two were in the same bed when we found you."  
  
I balked at that statement. "Hey! He was hurt, and I had passed out before..." I trailed off at the warning glare he bestowed upon me.  
  
Claire stood up and walked to Vicious' side, gently taking his arm in hers and leaning close against him, obviously putting on a show. "Perhaps you should be kept separate from your boyfriend. We might break him more easily then."  
  
At this though, Vicious seemed to disagree. "Claire, we talked about this," he said dully, eyes straying to his left shoulder as he flicked a piece of lint away.  
  
"But -"  
  
"She will go with me to see Shin. You may not." And then, as if the issue had been suddenly decided, he shook her off and moved out into the hall, calling for me to follow.  
  
Moving stiffly in the dirty clothes I had been wearing for three days running now, I trotted along after him, not knowing whether I was eager to see an actual friend or scared to be accompanied by Vicious. Plus, after the display with Claire last night, I was feeling almost betrayed. He wasn't incapable of loving - just incapable of loving me.  
  
"I advise you to encourage him to cooperate," Vicious murmured at Shin's door, not even waiting another second afterwards to stride inside.  
  
Shin was sitting on the bed and facing the door, as if expecting our arrival. His face hardened considerably when his eyes met Vicious', but he said nothing, not even when I greeted him.  
  
"Still being stubborn then, Shin?" murmured Vicious, slate gray eyes narrowed to slits. "I see."  
  
Shin looked defiantly away and then clenched his jaw, the muscles ticking as he began to work it furiously.  
  
"Should I sign your execution papers then?" he asked simply, coldly.  
  
Shin's eyes widened a little, but he still did not look at Vicious.  
  
"Vicious," I interrupted timidly, "can I have a moment alone to talk to Shin? Please?"  
  
Vicious left.  
  
Numbly, I sat down on the bed beside Shin and lay a hand over his, the one with the fingers that had not been broken. "It might be best to go along with him for now," I whispered, and only out of fear. Shin was still rather black and blue, raw throughout his left side and bandaged heavily over his chest. I didn't have much hope for him lasting out too long under Vicious' wrath, and if he died, I was truly alone. "Come on. Go along with him and maybe we can escape."  
  
Shin turned his face slowly towards mine and our eyes locked. His lower lip, split open and slowly healing, stretched painfully as he smiled. "That'd be nice - to escape together, I mean," he commented quietly, and then, lowering his head, let his black hair flop carelessly into his eyes. "But...didn't you say something about caring for Vicious?"  
  
"It was a mistake. He's not who I thought he was."  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
"What?"  
  
Shin's hands groped clumsily across the bed and he turned his upper body towards mine, leaning in awkwardly and pressing his warm lips against my mouth. They were bruised and the barely healed cut at the corner felt rough, but he still faintly tasted of salt and black coffee and...something like a candied apple.  
  
Sweet Shin.  
  
When we pulled away, I glanced furtively towards the door and saw Vicious standing there, looking as if he had just appeared for he was still in motion and just rounding the corner. His widened eyes told me he had seen, but had he heard anything spoken beforehand?  
  
Shin sensed his presence as well, but not as quickly, for he stiffened a few moments later.  
  
"Have you then reached a final decision?" demanded the other man, colorless hair dully framing his pale face. He looked a little ticked at us, but it was probably just because Shin was actually partaking in something that didn't make him completely miserable.  
  
"Yes," Shin replied slowly, grudgingly. He looked over in my direction, as if to collect reassurance, and then smiled dimly. "I'll accept your offer. I'll stay here to train new recruits."  
  
And Vicious gave that ghastly half smile of his that struck more terror into your heart than his scowl, because it didn't mean that he was satisfied, but rather that he was going to break you, and he was going to enjoy doing it.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Only later did the full impact of what had happened hit me.  
  
Shin had kissed me.  
  
Did that mean he liked me? And furthermore, did I like him? Well, the kiss had been nice, very pleasant and sweet... It was different then when I had kissed Vicious - a little more wistful and desperate. But it also made me think: Did my fear that Vicious had seen meant that I still wasn't over him?  
  
With a dramatic sigh, I flopped back on the bed and tried not to think too much. Unfortunately, I didn't get any rest, because Vicious chose that moment to knock on my door and make his demands.  
  
"I have work to do," he said shortly. "I need you to go down to the kitchen and get me lunch. Nothing too heavy, and definitely not moist. And NOTHING spicy."  
  
"So light, dry, and bland?"  
  
He quirked an eyebrow, his way of letting me know his patience was wearing thin.  
  
Rather than risk having his wrath turned against me, I started off down the hall to the kitchen. The syndicate had good food, actually - something I wouldn't have expected - as I had found out earlier on a tour of the place. Desma had been the one to take me, and immediately after we had left Shin's room.  
  
As I turned into one of the more narrow halls, I spotted a bulky guard approaching casually, tall and perhaps in his late thirties with close cropped black hair and a pair of sunglasses shielding his eyes. He was an ugly brute. I crossed my fingers and hoped he wouldn't stop and ask me for a pass because Vicious hadn't given me one and I didn't feel like getting in trouble and having to have either the master himself or Desma bail me out. Stuck for another ten hours in a holding room was not a productive way to spend time.  
  
The guard seemed interested as we drew closer to one another, his head tilting slowly to the side and his expression flickering with something akin to amusement. I tried to walk by without ever making eye contact, but he swerved off course and my shoulder jostled his. When I kept on moving, he turned and called, "What? No apology?"  
  
I glanced over my shoulder and mumbled, "Sorry," but he wasn't satisfied. His big, beefy hand grasped my wrist and squeezed, hard enough to make me feel as if I would be crushed in the intense grip.  
  
"That didn't sound sincere," he growled, and yanked me closer, so close that I slammed heavily into his chest. "Why don't you say it like you mean it?"  
  
"Let me GO!" I cried, working myself up into a righteous rage as fear and anger built itself up in me. I wasn't any match for this guy. If he tried something, I'd be -  
  
Well, it was better to just concentrate on getting myself out of this hole I'd fallen into.  
  
"What's wrong?" he laughed, swinging me around and looping an arm about my waist. He spoke as lightly as if he were an old friend teasing. "You don't like me? Don't like this?" And he sloppily kissed me, smashing his face against mine and muffling my screams. Thoughtlessly, I brought up my leg and kneed him in the stomach with as much force as I could muster. He fell back, screaming, and I took the opportunity to scramble away, feet slipping on the floor as I clawed desperately at the wall to keep my balance.  
  
"Get back here!" he commanded, crashing after me as I hastily and thoughtlessly ran down as fast as I could in the opposite direction, breathing rapidly.  
  
"GET AWAY!" I screamed over my shoulder, only to be jerked back as a hand clapped over my shoulder and spun me around. Lashing out, I struck a quick blow to his cheek with a clenched fist. Apparently, this angered him more and replied in like, except his hit knocked me off my feet. I collided with the ground, was scooped back up, and hurled into a dark, empty room - a little cramped, probably a larger closet.  
  
"I'm gonna teach you a little lesson, wench," he muttered, cracking his knuckles sharply as he approached.  
  
My eyes widened and I felt almost faint with fear. Quickly, I scurried away, trying to keep distance between us. It was useless, for he only pounced on me, picked me up, and threw me down again. I landed much too awkwardly on my left side, hurting both my hip and wrist until it felt as if both had shattered. But that wasn't the worst of it.  
  
The man got on his hands and knees and crawled forward like a lion on the prowl, discarding his sunglasses to reveal cruel, brown eyes. Cornered, I was in no position to protect myself as I huddled on the floor, crossing my arms over my chest and waiting for him to come.  
  
And all I could think was, 'If only Vicious was here...'  
  
~~~~~  
  
Alright, thanks for all the reviews! My wrist is feeling a lot better -thanks for being understanding!  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: Aww, thanks for the encouragement on the subject of the flame! A drama day dream, huh? I have those all the time! Most of those occur during Algebra II... lol  
  
Kaelin77: I always thought it was waste to have Shin in so few episodes, because he was very cute and very influential - I mean, he caught my attention for just one of the very minor characters... Haha  
  
Black*Lightning: Sorry about the cliffhangers, but I love them!  
  
Zithromax: Haha, if you thought the last cliffhanger was bad, I can't imagine what you thought of this one. I swear, I've only left about...one flame in my life, I think, and I actually gave constructive criticism AND I was signed in with the review so they knew who I was. As a result, she e- mailed me and was very kind and inspired me to even see some things her way - which lead to my writing 'You See Past My Scars', a Weiss Kruez fic of mine. ^_^  
  
ShinyFairyLights: Horses really don't scare me - I doubt they ever could - but I can see why people would fear them I honestly should be afraid, but I seem to fair smaller animals more than the large ones. Oh, and it's nice to know I'm not going downhill here. lol  
  
CyberMaiden: Sorry, this took a little long to update. I will be protecting Shin for as far as I can see, but things might change...lol  
  
AJ14: Vicious and Faye are an adorable couple! I don't know why it hasn't caught on any more. I mean, when you think about it, Spike and Julia belong together, and since Vicious is recovering from Julia and Faye (most likely) is getting over Spike, that leaves them together, right? That's how I see it! Haha ^_^  
  
Jdchs: Yay! This was a really long review! Long reviews make me REALLY happy! lol Well, I'm glad you're still reading this (the other story is under another girl's name, not mine - just thought I'd tell ya' lol) and I'm really flattered you take time to check this story all the time! Plus, being called one of the few who depicts Vicious in the right was is an awesome compliment! And yes, I know all about weird-psycho habits *secretive glance to the left and right* Hehe - I hope this was a good twist too and that you liked this chapter as well. Please review again!  
  
Psycho-CJ: Thanks for your review! I hope I didn't make you wait too long!  
  
AnimeAngel707: Be sure to tell me what you think of this chapter too ~_^  
  
Volk Zyta: Oh, well, you're not just imagining things, as I'm sure you've figured out. My wrist does feel better too - thanks!  
  
Nali: Oh, I was a little upset about the flame at first, but I'm over it now - the only reason it made me mad was because I couldn't figure it out. lol Thanks a bunch for reviewing!  
  
Midnight Scribbler: THAAAAAAAANKS! *hugs* One of the best you read? How nice!  
  
Bebop-angel1: Hehe - Thanks for the review! How's the picture coming along?  
  
Pink-Pooglie: Wow, I guess it IS getting better like I hoped it would! Hopefully this chapter lives up to the last one as well. Oh, and I ride Western, though from the time I was eight to ten it was English, but when I switched teachers, I switched styles, and Western is just more relaxed so I like it better! The only thing is you can't jump with that pesky horn in the way. lol  
  
Hikari88: Thanks a lot for the review and everything else!  
  
Bloody Love: Got this chapter out as soon as I could manage!  
  
Lady Eethreal: Wow, I feel special. Haha.  
  
Alright, everyone make sure to review this chapter too! 


	8. Forget About Shin

The ugly brute drew back his fist and let fly, smashing it into my jaw and sending my body slamming back against the wall. It hurt, of course, so I screamed, and I also felt dizzy, as if I were on the verge of passing out, and things suddenly seemed so much more distant...  
  
He said something - he grabbed me and kissed me and held me still as he pulled back his hand to hit me again. However, as I lay limp and feebly struggling in his grasp, the door flew open and a massive figure stood silhouetted there, looking ready to burst in and do some damage.  
  
It was the Bulldozer AKA Desma and he flew into a rage when he observed what was going on. "Get your hands off her!" he screamed, and leapt into action. My attacker was already backing off, but that didn't stop Desma from grabbing him and beating him viciously into a bloody pulp with his fists. Once that task was accomplished, he rose disgustedly from the cowering man lying there, gave him one last kick and a few obscene titles, and turned to me, face softening. "You ok?" he asked.  
  
Shakily, I tried to rise, murmuring, "Yeah, fine," but I choked on the last word as I put too much weight on my left foot and felt my hip shift almost, as if the bone was out of place, and a jagged pain knifed through my side. Crashing down the ground again, I swallowed rapidly and felt a few waves of nausea wash over me. My head throbbed and my chin ached from where he had landed a hit to my face. My wrist (I was sure it was sprained) throbbed steadily.  
  
Desma walked over and asked gently, "Can you walk?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
Taking my hand, he heaved me up, wrapped an arm around my waist, and demanded that I drape an arm across his shoulder. Together we hobbled in silence back to Vicious' room, where we paused outside the door so I could gain breath.  
  
"Please don't tell him," I begged softly, still feeling a little sick to my stomach. "I don't want him to know."  
  
Desma's eyes narrowed. "I have to tell him. Why are you ashamed?"  
  
I honestly didn't know, but I said, "It'd just be embarrassing, ok? And he'd probably blame it on me."  
  
My companion shook his head back and forth thoughtfully, sadly, and then sighed deeply. His black hair, gelled up into spikes, waved with his movements and his pale blue eyes seemed sincere as he promised, "Alright. I won't then."  
  
I felt vaguely relieved, but it didn't last long. Next thing I knew, the world as spiraling and my feet had flown up underneath me and Desma was hefting my wriggling form into his arms and bursting into the room, bellowing for Vicious. There was no need to shout, seeing as he had been sitting at his desk and working on a black laptop, but when we came in, he looked so startled and pushed out his chair so quickly with wide eyes, he seemed human again.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded coldly, getting up and glaring for all he was worth.  
  
Desma strode across the room and deposited me on the bed, exclaiming, "Faye was almost raped! How could you allow this to happen?"  
  
I groaned loudly, making a mental note to never trust Desma with a secret.  
  
Vicious's dull expression returned as he droned, "It's MY fault?"  
  
"Yes! It was Keith Bays again! Claire has been complaining about him aggressively coming onto her and occasionally seeming as if he was going to strike her and you did nothing! I told you this would happen, and you said you'd taken care of it!"  
  
Vicious blinked. A rare sight indeed.  
  
I lay on the bed, numb from all the pain and trembling as realization washed over me. At the time, the situation had not seemed so perilous, but when Desma said the word 'raped', it sounded as if it was the end of the world.  
  
I could've been raped.  
  
And Vicious didn't care.  
  
"Fine," he sniffed arrogantly, and that was only because it was clear Desma was not leaving until justified, "have him punished however you like. I'll leave it to you. Dismiss him, if you see fit. Since the crime was obviously committed against YOU, Desma, I will leave it up to you what the sufficient disciplinary actions might be."  
  
Desma grimaced as if to say, 'point taken', but his words were, "Claire could've been seriously hurt and Faye was put in a lot of danger. How can you take it so lightly? That could've been my sister!"  
  
Ah, so that's it. Good to know you care, Desma. The witch doesn't deserve you for a brother.  
  
Vicious flipped his hand in Desma's direction and airily dismissed him, rolling his eyes in a bored fashion. Desma grudgingly said he'd be back to examine me later after dealing with Keith and to not move too much until then.  
  
Vicious went back to his work, completely ignoring me, and I chose that moment to give up the struggle and pass out.  
  
~~~~~  
  
It was sometime in the early night when I came back to the world, and Vicious had left the room. Surprisingly, in his place was Shin, dressed in a neatly pressed syndicate uniform and looking slightly more robust and healthier than when I'd seen him last.  
  
He strode over to the bed, smiled reassuringly, and achingly lowered himself to his knees, whispering, "I came as soon as I heard. How are you? Did he hurt you? He's being treated like a regular traitor now."  
  
"Just sprained my wrist and pulled a few muscles," I murmured, and averted my gaze, not wanting to feel so comfortable with Shin, not wanting to enjoy his being so near. Whenever he was around I lapsed into a state of relaxation with all fear exiled.  
  
He touched my hand gently, sympathetically. "I can't believe Vicious let this happen," he seethed. "His skills as a leader are deteriorating more and more everyday."  
  
I said nothing.  
  
Shin leaned in and tenderly pressed his lips to the dark bruise on my chin, murmuring, "I wish I'd been there... From now on, if you are going somewhere, tell me so I can escort you and prevent this from happening again." Before I could protest that request, he kissed me again, this time on the mouth, and with great emotion.  
  
I tried not to respond, but that was doomed to fail. Shin was kind and handsome and at least someone felt sorry about my pitiful condition.  
  
When he pulled away, he lingered near, smiling, eyes full of happiness. "I'm going to leave before he comes back," he whispered. "I've been watching over you as you slept for quite a while - couldn't leave before you woke. I'll see you soon."  
  
"Bye, Shin."  
  
"Goodbye, Faye."  
  
As it happened, he passed Vicious on the way out, the man having just walked in right before Shin exited. They passed with barely perceptible nods and looks of mutual contempt, but no questions were asked. The moment the door was shut though, Vicious casually began to strip, starting with unbuttoning his shirt and letting it slide off his arms to pool in a puddle of cloth on the ground.  
  
I sat up a little and began to form a question, but he stopped me immediately with, "This is my bedroom and that's my bed and I WILL sleep there tonight. Desma said not to move you. He can't see you tonight, but he doesn't want you to hurt yourself anymore."  
  
So, remaining silent, I watched him and then, out of embarrassment, looked away and focused on the wall. The bed dipped down and a quiet groan of exhaustion penetrated the air as he rolled over towards me, laying on his side to stare unashamedly into my face. He was now clothed just in a pair of boxers. "I didn't notice he'd punched you in the face," he remarked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Does it hurt?" He reached out and testingly touched the bruise, white hair splashed out on the pillow beneath his head and face keenly interested. It was hard to see in the dark, the shadows muting his features and making them soft.  
  
"A little," I admitted, wincing as he applied some pressure to his touch before withdrawing. He moved a little closer, body inching towards mine until our foreheads touched and his breath was warm and humid on my face. "Vicious...can I ask you something?"  
  
"Hm?" He laid a hand gently to my hip, eyes locking expectantly with mine.  
  
"Do you love Claire?"  
  
"Would you be jealous?"  
  
In a low voice, I admitted, "I can't see how you could despise me and love her, especially after what we had..."  
  
"What we had was a lie," he returned bitterly. A pause and then, "Besides, I thought you didn't love me anymore."  
  
I colored furiously - in my state of steadily growing rage I couldn't fathom how he could say those things to me, no matter how true they were, and still touch me as if he did love me. Such a stupid man, I decided - did he think I was that easy? "Hmm. If that's how you want, get your hand off my waist and BACK OFF!" As he removed his touch and scooted away, I looked in a different direction again, and then tried to roll over onto my other side so I would not be under his accusing stare, but my hip violently protested and I sucked in a deep, pained breath. "Let's just go to sleep. I don't want to argue you with you anymore."  
  
Vicious said nothing so I assumed he agreed. We lay in silence for some time before he fell asleep and I followed nearly ten minutes after.  
  
~~~~~  
  
A few hours later, I woke up again for no reason other than Vicious was shivering in the bed beside me and choking on a word that never seemed able to leave his mouth. Don't ask what it was - I was destined to never find out.  
  
Since I was still turned on my side, facing him, I remembered how Claire had come in earlier to comfort him and didn't know whether that would annoy or please me if she did so again, considering I didn't want to see her, yet having her witness that Vicious had crawled into bed beside me was a strangely nice concept.  
  
"Hey, Vicious," I whispered, shaking his shoulder a little, and when that only threw him into a deeper panic, I drew him to me and leaned his head to my chest as if he were a child, murmuring, "Hush...it's ok."  
  
He pressed his face against me and clutched at my back with shaking hands, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath as he slowly came to his senses and woke. Then, he was very still, and his muffled voice questioned tentatively, "Faye...?"  
  
"Bet you were expecting Claire."  
  
He didn't respond, save his hands twisting the fabric of my shirt in his fists. Then, raising his tear-stained face, he looked up sincerely into my eyes and pleaded, "Tell me I was happy with you...when I called myself Benjamin."  
  
"We were very happy, if only for such a short time," I replied, surprised. To myself, I added silently, 'I just didn't realize it.'  
  
"I remember everything," he whispered, and settled down against me again, now holding me in a loose embrace. "When I believed you and you told me we were married and you loved me and I would look at those pictures of Spike and I would think to myself...who is this man? Was he my friend? Were we happy together? How did he die? And in those last few days, when you warmed up to me and I was so excited until things began to come back...and I just caught snatches of the past. I saw Spike and Julia and even the war on Titan. I kept remembering names without faces - like Lin. I kept asking myself, "Who is Lin?" and then I began to remember him but all I saw was his dead body lying on top of a building in the cold where I left it..."  
  
I had begun to unconsciously stroke his head, listening with a compassionate expression.  
  
"When I woke up that one morning, I remembered everything. Do you know how betrayed I felt? The second I opened my eyes and looked over at you lying beside me in the bed, it all came back to me - Julia seeing Spike behind my back and then he leaving and you staying with him. I ran out to the living room, I saw that all those pictures were up because you had feelings for Spike, and doing this to me...it was only for revenge. It's true, isn't it? You took me and you lied to me because all the while you were preparing to hurt me."  
  
How was I supposed to answer that? Vicious was angry, he was hurt, and it sounded like he was likening me to Julia. "It started that way, Vicious, but I began to really care about you. I changed my mind - if you had never gotten your memory back, I would've told you the truth and asked for your forgiveness because I'm not Julia... I do love you." All this was said in such a low whisper, I wondered if he'd heard.  
  
There was a pause, a silence between us, and then he demanded, "What about Shin?"  
  
"What about...Shin?"  
  
"I saw you kiss him in the infirmary."  
  
"It was a mistake." Then, with conviction, "I love YOU."  
  
He lifted his head and searched my eyes with a look that was the closest to confusion I'd seen him wear since he was amnesiac. "I missed you," he whispered gruffly, and pulled me close in such a rough way it almost hurt. "No more Shin."  
  
"No more Shin," I agreed a bit guiltily, but it was never like I'd told Shin I loved him, right? And I had never made a commitment to him. Sure, I'd let him kiss me, but I had never made the first move or even acted as if I wanted him...had I? Surely Shin deserved an explanation.  
  
Vicious pressed his mouth firmly to mine, hard and demanding.  
  
I'd figure out what to tell Shin in the morning.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
Shin looked over at the dark-haired woman sitting beside him in the surveillance room, at her hazel eyes and shoulder-length hair and short, thin frame clothed in a knee-length skirt and black blazer with a red dragon emblazoned on the breast pocket. He swallowed a lump in his throat and tried not to let her see how hard he was shaking as his heart slowly sunk into his stomach. She looked so sympathetic and eager to help, but how could he explain this?  
  
He looked back to one of the many screens on the panel before him and felt a few tears trickling down his cheeks. Hurriedly, he took his sleeve and wiped them away, not wanting to let his partner on guard duty see him in his emotional turmoil. Unaware of the drama enfolding around them, the people of the syndicate continued to wander the halls on their way to perform various duties, each and every one captured in the security cameras Shin had been ordered to watch.  
  
She peeked over his shoulder and gasped when she saw what he was looking at. "Who's that?" she asked in surprise, and then, with a bit of an embarrassed smile, "Looks like Master Vicious might actually be in love. I can't believe he didn't turn off the security camera in his room!" A few moments later, "Oh, well, they're going back to sleep. Guess they didn't plan on doing anything. But don't they look so happy together? Oh, it's the new girl! What's her name?"  
  
Shin stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair. The black and white screen still depicted Vicious in dreamland with a dark-haired woman in his arms. "Her name is Faye," he choked out, and turned to walk stiffly from the room.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Lady Ethreal: But cliffhangers are my favorite! I'm so sorry if that upsets you! Review again though, ^_^  
  
Mange: Thanks for the compliment!  
  
Kaelin77: I know; I don't like Claire either. -___- I'll work out something for her. *plots evilly*  
  
Black*Lightning: Sorry...another cliffhanger! *looks guilty*  
  
Zithromax: Thanks for the huge compliment!! I hope you liked this chapter too. ^_^  
  
Light-of-halo: Oooh! You write V/F? I should read one!  
  
Jdchs: Wow! I'm glad you like it! Don't worry - I wouldn't do something as terrible as give Shin to Claire! She doesn't deserve it!  
  
Bebop-angel1: YES! I can't wait to see your picture!! *jumps up and down in excitement* Give me the URL as soon as possible!  
  
Dazma: I'm just so evil with the cliffhangers ^_^ Hehe  
  
Hydrokitty: I know - you don't realize how important your wrist is until you sprain it! I like Shin a lot, but I'd have to say Faye belongs with Vicious. *nods head* Keep on reviewing!  
  
AnimeAngel707: I hope this chapter is good too! ^.^ Tell me what you think!  
  
Hikari88: Thanks for all your reviews and such! I really appreciate it! Shin and Faye would be a cute couple, so I just had to toy with the idea. lol  
  
Fei4: Jet and Ed will return when the time is proper! And poor Shin is just a complication... Review again!  
  
Volk Zyta: I thought the idea of a battered Shin kissing Faye was cute too! lol Thanks for your review!  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: I'm sorry, but I tend to make these chapters short. ^_^;; It's just the way this story wants to be written - that's right, I don't control the story; it controls me! haha  
  
A-chan5: Horses are great, but the injuries you acquire from them can be awful. lol *remembers evil horse that bucked her off* I still like to ride 'em though. I'm sorry that you broke your wrist though - mine was only sprained so I feel lucky! The girl who I was riding with says it should've been worse, from the way I landed. ^_^;;  
  
LadySilverDragon2: I know, I know! You're so wonderful to be patient with me! *rolls eyes* lol Thanks for reviewing, though. Keep it up!  
  
Alright! REVIEW! 


	9. Faye's Life Starts to Suck

AHHH! It took me forever to get this up!! I'm SOOOO SORRY! I would thank all the reviewers, but I don't have time and I wanna get this up to I'll thank you all next chapter - I PROMISE!!!  
  
~~~~~  
  
Vicious donned his long black trench coat the next morning, taking special care to examine each and every decoration and make sure it was just right. When he was quite sure he had everything the way he wanted it, he raked his fingers through his hair, his way of combing it, I suppose, and grimaced whenever he hit a tangle.  
  
I sat on the bed and watched him, slightly amused, and then smiled when he turned to face me. "Where are you going?"  
  
Vicious shoved his wallet into his pocket and smiled a little, replying quietly, "Nowhere, really. Just going to speak with some of the higher officers I've appointed - to see if all is running as smoothly as I'm told."  
  
"What should I do?"  
  
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug and then glanced to the left, as if contemplating. "You need new clothes," he finally decided, a note of finality in his voice. "Claire is your size - go to her room and she'll let you borrow some clothes. Not willingly, I suppose, but tell her I sent you and there should be no problems."  
  
I frowned, not appreciating being sent to Claire for what was obviously a baby-sitting job (she being meant to watch me, of course) but I knew better than to protest. My first step towards success had been getting Vicious to actually feel something for me - now all I had to do was get him to revert back to who he had once been, to Benjamin.  
  
Wasn't sure how he'd feel about that, but nevertheless...  
  
"You don't look happy with that idea," he said in that ever-dour voice of his, eyes drooping with either boredom or exhaustion.  
  
"Claire is a witch," I snarled, crossing my arms and looking defiant. This must've struck him as funny because he chuckled uncharacteristically and ruffled my hair as if I was a child, and I laughed as well, though it was to relieve stress more than anything else. I really found no humor in Claire.  
  
Vicious took a swaggering step closer and let one long arm wrap about my back as he bent his head to kiss my forehead lightly before pulling away and saying, "I'll write you a note if it makes you feel better."  
  
"Thank you," I replied curtly, "but this is not elementary school. I don't need a note from you."  
  
"Suit yourself," he murmured, suddenly distant again as he glided away and picked up his sheathed katana, holding it tightly in his fist. "I'm leaving now. Claire's room is on the fourth floor, 7C. Desma will need to escort you. It's been proven that you're obviously not safe walking the halls alone."  
  
"That guy was massive!" I shot back, close to pouting. It really did bruise my pride, having Vicious insinuate I couldn't even step out of the room without getting myself killed.  
  
He really didn't care to listen to my defensive statements though. The door swung shut just as I was opening my mouth to call out another objection. Instantly forgetting the problem, however, I sat down on the bed again and eyed the phone on the night stand. "So," I asked no one in particular, and perhaps even myself, "do I call Desma? And if I do, what's his number...?"  
  
Vicious should've realized these things weren't just common sense.  
  
Finally, after much debating, I hesitantly reached out and snatched the phone off its cradle, immediately realizing my wrist was in worse shape than I had first imagined when sharp pain shot through my lower arm and my fingers shakily released the object, letting it crash to the floor unceremoniously, mingling with my aggravated cries.  
  
"Putting strain on yourself, aren't you?"  
  
I glanced irritably towards the doorway, where Desma now stood, and grimaced. "Shut up," I growled, trying to push myself back off the mattress and onto my feet again. "I was just trying to figure out how to - GAH!" And the sentence ended in another scream of pain as I put too much weight on my one foot and felt my hip shift painfully, knees almost buckling.  
  
"Looks like your back isn't aligned properly," Desma observed, walking over with such an air of authority that I immediately fell still. With a flourish of his hand, he commanded, "Lie down on your stomach." Once I had painstakingly done so, Desma leaned over me, inspecting, poked down along my spine, and then quite suddenly, grabbed my shoulders and twisted my upper body to the side, leaning down on his hands with his full weight. Loud, somewhat unpleasant cracks filled the silence of the room, and I, too shocked by his sudden movements, could only utter a strangled gasp.  
  
It didn't hurt though. And I felt much better when I stood up.  
  
"Your wrist is sprained," Desma said. "I can't fix that. It'll heal by itself if you don't put any pressure on it."  
  
"Thanks, Desma."  
  
"So, Vicious sent me up." He paused, took in my shocked look, and then laughed. "What? How else did you think I'd know to come? Never mind that though - he says to take you to Claire's room so she can fit you with some new clothes. Those ones you came in can't be comfortable anymore."  
  
"Yeah, and I really need a shower."  
  
"You can do that in Claire's room too."  
  
"Are you gonna stick around?"  
  
"And hang out with you girls? Ha, I think not. I have a job to do, and besides, why would you want me around?"  
  
"To make sure your sister doesn't sneak into the bathroom and drown me, of course," I replied, only half-teasing as we walked out of the room.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Claire scrutinized me carefully, then glared at her closet of clothes. "Don't drip on the covers," she commanded, and I, freshly showered perched on the edge of the bed in a bathrobe, reached up to adjust the towel wrapped around my head turban style. Once satisfied my wet hair was no longer a threat, Claire turned back to picking out my new outfit and then quickly thrust a T-shirt and a pair of jeans my way. They weren't too bad, actually - the shirt was dark gray and a little big, but nowadays I was only interested in comfort, and the jeans were faded but not in terrible shape.  
  
Claire flopped down in a chair opposite me and scowled, eyes narrowed. "Those good enough?" she demanded.  
  
"They're fine," I bit back. "You don't have to be so hostile - the least you could do is pretend to be a civilized human being."  
  
"Why should I have to pretend?!" she cried out, suddenly throwing her arms up as tears flooded to her eyes. "You should know how I feel! You love Vicious! You've experienced what it's like when he turns his back on you!"  
  
"Don't take it out on me!"  
  
"I have every right to! When he walked away from you it was because you were lying to him through your teeth! When he left me...when he left me, it was because you came along and you seduced him!"  
  
"CLAIRE! SHUT UP!" I leapt to my feet and raised my hand as if to strike her, but it turned out to be a futile effort since not only was Claire not the least bit frightened, but I had lifted my bad wrist and if I hit anything, it'd hurt me more than the object of my anger. I sunk back onto the bed and clenched my fists at my sides. "Vicious loves me! He didn't love you! He was just using you! Don't you get it?! You're the pathetic one!"  
  
A bitter little laugh found it's way out of her perfect mouth and those cherry red lips curled in a sarcastic smile. "I'm pathetic? You're the one who is taking up with a man who loved you yet was quite content on cheating on you with me and who knows? Maybe someone else..." Claire's eyes narrowed. "You probably don't care though. And right now, I don't either - it just hurts too much."  
  
I scowled, trying not to let the angry look slip. Tears were making Claire's brown eyes glassy, though she obviously was trying not to let it show. She must've been pretty upset with the news if....  
  
I gulped down a lump in my throat. The only people who knew about this new revelation were Vicious and me, as it had occurred last night, so who else could've discovered such a thing?  
  
"Claire," I began in a low, even tone, "how did you know?"  
  
Her voice trembled as she replied, "A girlfriend of mine was on guard duty last night, and she told me she saw the whole thing over the security cameras."  
  
That made me uneasy. Security cameras really were everywhere, watching my every move, as Vicious had threatened earlier. Even in his room. Who all knew what had happened?  
  
"You'll get yours," Claire threatened, wiping a sleeve across her eyes to soak up her tears. "Vicious will betray you too. He's done it to everyone else, and as long as he's in this syndicate, he'll do it to you too!"  
  
She was right.  
  
I grabbed the clothes and limped into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Somehow I managed to get dressed even in my dire distress and drew in a few deep breathes, hobbling outside and, without looking at Claire, into the hall. No time to call Desma for an escort - he was her brother anyhow, and he cared about her more - so I traveled alone back to the room.  
  
It was a fairly non-eventful trip unless you counted my breaking down in the hallway and screaming at a woman who asked for identification. Matters were only made worse when she took a step back, squinted, and said, "Oh...never mind. You're Vicious' new girlfriend. I was the one on guard duty last night."  
  
Claire wasn't joking about haunting me. Even her friends were in on it.  
  
Once back in the room, I flopped down on the bed and laid with my face in the pillow, wondering if this was possibly all a futile effort. So what if Vicious cared? Could I stand to live with someone like him? Just because I'd gotten him to say a few things didn't mean he'd ever go back to being like he used to.  
  
The door opened but I didn't need to look up to see who it was. "I thought you had work," I growled, eyes still squeezed shut.  
  
No reply.  
  
I lifted my head grimly, slowly rolling onto my side to glare at Vicious. Only it wasn't him. Standing there with his hands clasped behind his back was Shin, grave and solemn, his dark eyes and black hair contrasting sharply with his abnormally pale skin.  
  
"Shin?" I murmured, sighing in relief. "Good. I could use a friend here." Clumsily rolling out of bed and walking towards him, I reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, saying, "I have to tell you -"  
  
Shin jerked back, my fingertips barely skimming the material of his jacket. His eyes narrowed and he bitterly growled, "There's nothing you can say to me, Faye, and we're not friends!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" I demanded.  
  
Here his composure broke down, and he turned his head and lifted a hand to cover his face, taking a few moments to steady himself. His voice, when he next spoke, came out like a sob. "No more Shin," he whispered, repeating the words Vicious and I had spoken only the night before. "No more Shin..."  
  
I'd lost my only true friend in the whole blasted syndicate... I'd betrayed him... I could feel my eyes widening in horror, my mouth gaping open. He'd seen it all - he must've seen the security tape. I could only imagine how it had looked.  
  
Tears trickled down his ashen cheeks. "Were you using me?" he asked wonderingly, as if speaking to himself. His hoarse voice cracked and then he continued shakily, "I really thought we were friends..."  
  
"We are, Shin," I tried to desperately intervene, tried to reassure him. "We are friends!"  
  
"No, no we're not." He took a step back, towards the door, eyes narrowed. "You'll see what it's like, Faye. I won't let this slide. You're just like Vicious. You two deserve each other..." Quickly, his green eyes darted away. He refused to meet my gaze. One step, two steps, backing out the door, not wanting to give me even the slightest trust, as if he really believed I'd stab him in the back the minute he turned - both figuratively and literally. He was still facing me when the door slammed shut, scowling angrily, and I cringed at the noise.  
  
Stinging tears clouded my eyes. I hurriedly raised my fists to scrub them away, sniffling in self-pity and misery. Selfish, deceitful and stupid. Those were the only things I had come to be. And now, not only was a significant female member of the syndicate cursing my name, but my only real friend - the one who had saved my life - was plotting against me, and it was all, undoubtedly, my fault.  
  
And I was angry. At myself, at Vicious even.  
  
So when he opened the door and walked through, bland expression, colorless eyes, dull, gray eyes and dark coat, I ran to him and I felt him reach out in surprise to embrace me, jerking in shock when I raised a fist and slammed it down on his chest, sobbing his name. He hugged me tighter and I cried that I hated myself and even though he asked repeatedly, I couldn't tell him what was wrong.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Review!! 


	10. Faye decides her life sucks too much

OMG!! EVERYONE, FORGIVE ME!!! *kneels and bows so low my forehead touches the ground* I AM SOOOOOO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! Please, I apologize profusely!  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: Haha, sweet and evil is how everything should be!  
  
Midnight Scribble: You're about the only one who feels sympathy for Claire ^.^ lol  
  
Dazma: Lo and behold, I have written more!  
  
Kaelin77: Ride off into the sunset, eh? lol I'll do what I can to give them a somewhat happy ending - it'll be hard though!  
  
Redeve: Well, it's nice you're giving this couple a try!  
  
Cbdbz247: I have no idea why I take so long - I am truly sorry! *bows down humbly*  
  
Volk Zyta: Well...*makes a face* I don't know if I would call how things get 'better'... But there will be some happiness sometime!  
  
A-chan5: THANK YOU!!! *hugs*  
  
Bloody Love: I'm sorry I didn't get this out very soon... Keep on reviewing!  
  
TigerTiger2: Thanks, I think... lol  
  
Pimpin Satan: I LOVE YOU! thank you so much for the review AND the e-mail - please keep on reviewing, I really value your opinion.  
  
AnimeAngel707: Thanks a bunch! Keep on reviewing!  
  
Light-of-Halo: Well, I'm flattered this helps you. I'll continue it, of course, but I'm sorry I'm not too quick about it... I'll try and get faster!  
  
Zithromax: Well, I can see how much you hate Claire, so I'll prevent her from screwing anything else up from now on. ^.^  
  
Mange: I'm so sorry it took me so long!  
  
Dark Phoenix: *cries* I love Shin too! I don't know why I hurt him like that! I'll be sure to make it up to him!!  
  
Theyreallyloveme: You're suggestions were great, I think I might just do as you advised...  
  
~~~~~  
  
"I have to get out of here," I whispered to Vicious that night, trying to discern his expression though the dark of the unlit room muted his features and blotted his skin, moonlight that shifted across the stone cold face dappling it as well. "It's driving me crazy. I feel guilty. I feel trapped."  
  
Vicious said nothing. He was standing by the doorway, as if hovering between the decision to hear me out or leave. His expressionless eyes bored into me across the distance.  
  
"I want to leave." I think my voice trembled, fingers clutching tighter at the sheets on the bed that I sat on. "I cannot live here."  
  
For a moment Vicious kept up his silent treatment and then slowly sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and letting his frown deepen. "You want me to leave the syndicate?" he murmured, arching an eyebrow. "After I've worked so hard to rebuild it?"  
  
"Do you expect me to stay when everyone is out to get me?!" I cried, almost jumping to my feet before remembering my sore hip and sprained wrist. My neck had been hurting lately as well, probably from a little whiplash.  
  
"I can protect you," he replied simply.  
  
"I HATE THIS PLACE!" I shouted, tears springing to my eyes. Why couldn't Vicious understand? Why couldn't I explain better?  
  
Vicious walked over and carefully sat down beside me, that 'Benjamin' expression of his slowly spreading over his face. That sympathetic and loving look I had become so attached too. "It'll be ok," he promised quietly, gently kissing me on the cheek. "Just give it a few days. Please? I know you can learn to like it."  
  
It was so rare when he reverted back to that personality, I just couldn't argue for fear he'd retreat into Vicious mode again. "Alright," I agreed in a whisper, and leaned my head onto his broad shoulder.  
  
~~~~~  
  
A few days turned into a few weeks, and then a few months. Nothing really changed. I hated the place more than ever. Most days I locked myself in the room Vicious had given to me, and the few times I did emerge, I hid by Vicious' side, feeling too alone and too awkward to socialize with anyone but him.  
  
I missed Shin, who I only ever saw from a distance. I missed Jet, and even Ed - they probably had taken me for dead - and, surprisingly, I was still missing Spike.  
  
Vicious and Benjamin, inhabitants of the same body, seemed to have a schedule worked out. Granted, I did not know what this schedule was, exactly, but Benjamin would emerge on good days and Vicious would fade significantly only to rise to the surface not too long after. I could have the same conversation with the same man and get two different answers, depending on the day.  
  
I wasn't the only one who realized all this. Some of the syndicate members of higher positions worried about their leader's mood swings. Vicious was made aware of this by Desma first, and then by some other men I never really got associated with - Benjamin never worried but his counterpart did.  
  
One morning I just woke up and looked back on all the time I had wasted and how far Vicious and I had gotten and decided nothing was working for me at the syndicate. As the pressure had grown, Benjamin had begun to fade, to become less loving and more worrisome, and Vicious was aggressive, angry, and untouchable. He never even looked at me anymore, it seemed.  
  
"I have decided to leave," I told him one morning over breakfast. He was looking worn and drinking coffee, not even glancing up at me as I said those words. "You can go with me or stay here. Either way, I'm not staying."  
  
He set down his coffee cup gently and shut his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. Eyes closed, head tilting back tiredly, he mumbled disinterestedly, "Where will you go?"  
  
"I don't know. Anywhere is better than here."  
  
His chin dipped down again and his eyelids fluttered upwards as he revealed those sleepy orbs to stare levelly at me. "You want me to throw all this away?" he asked.  
  
We'd had this conversation before.  
  
I rose from the table, pushing a thick fall of black hair from my face. In my time at the syndicate it had grown out a few inches past my shoulders. I opened my mouth to tell him something angry, but quickly decided against it, shut my mouth, and turned on my heel. If I wasn't important enough to Vicious to make him leave a place that would eventually kill him, so be it.  
  
His voice halted me just as I was passing through the doorway. "Because," he called out softly, "I'll miss you if you go..."  
  
~~~~~  
  
We didn't tell anyone I was going. Heck, Vicious and I didn't even discuss when I would depart or where to. It was an understanding between both of us that we would be miserable apart, but I would simply be smothered to death if I remained by his side.  
  
One night, some days after our discussion, it seemed there was a lingering sense of nostalgia between us, for we spent all of breakfast reviewing many memories of our time together, and then he hugged and kissed me goodbye before going on his rounds of the syndicate. I spent the day in my room, gently testing my newly healed wrist and walking about, marveling at how it felt not to have pulled muscles and an out of joint back anymore. Then, I called for Desma and ordered him to prepare a special lunch for Vicious and I. He looked at me like I was crazy but smiled and nodded like he understood.  
  
"This is lovely," Vicious said in an almost dull voice when we sat down at our private, out of the way table in one of the fancier restaurants up town. Desma had made reservations, had pulled out a suit for Vicious, and borrowed a dress for me. The man across from me looked a bit out of place in a tuxedo, his colorless hair laying over is broad shoulders, pale skin glowing in the candlelight.  
  
I smiled. "I know. It is, isn't it?"  
  
Vicious took my hand and his face become gentle. Benjamin. "I could live the rest of my life like this," he said quietly. "With you. Having special meals together and loving one another. Let's stay together always, Faye. Let's never part."  
  
My lips stretched into a weak smile, and I felt tears roll down my cheeks. "Always, Vicious. Always..."  
  
~~~~~  
  
After lunch, Vicious and I walked the halls of the syndicate, my arm tucked in his, wondering how long this good mood would last. Already he was a bit distant, his gaze wondering about the walls and gazing through the people we passed. I think we both realized that I would be leaving soon. The time was approaching.  
  
"My life is tied in so deeply with the syndicate," Vicious murmured, glancing over at me with a frown. "I cannot escape. I'm so sorry I can't give you a normal life."  
  
My head tilted to lean onto his shoulder and I sighed, sliding my hand into his, entwining our fingers. "Would you like a normal life, Vicious? Would you like having a normal life and then coming home to me every night?"  
  
He paused. "Yes, I think I would."  
  
"I would be a house wife."  
  
"You'd be a cute house wife." Momentarily, he grinned. If I had blinked, I would've missed it, missed this expression that lit up his whole face and made him look strangely beautiful. "We could've had children. We cannot do that here."  
  
"No. Certainly isn't a place to raise kids, is it? Hey, honey, where are the kids? Oh, they're out back by the shooting range."  
  
I was rewarded with a chuckle from the usually hard-hearted man. "Children would've been nice though." And then he sobered. "But I can't imagine the kind of dead beat father I would've been. Although I imagine that most human beings, somewhere in their heart, desire offspring."  
  
It was like peering into Vicious' soul and seeing that, despite who he was, he sometimes had second thoughts and wanted for the life he now could never have. Was it all because of me? Or had it always been so, and I was just someone who had caused the feelings to arise?  
  
For a moment, we walked on in silence, and then, it happened. My heart stopped as I saw the figure coming around the corner. He was tall and thin and broad-shoulders with jet-black hair and green eyes. Handsome and young and so terribly angry and harsh looking. He glared at us, and even though I wanted to tell him that the look was killing me, I merely looked back to Vicious and tried to smile.  
  
Shin nodded sharply at Vicious and then hurriedly turned the next corner. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin was a shade lighter than I remembered. His lips had been pressed to a thin line.  
  
"Shin could've given you a normal life," Vicious muttered, suddenly sounding bitter. His eyes were narrowed, the gray irises hard as stone. "And I'm sorry I took that away from you..."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Shin was on watch duty again. He shut off the cameras in Vicious' room so he wouldn't have to watch his enemy. The same girl from the other night was with him. What was her name? Julie...Jewel...Judy...Judith? Yes, it was Judith. She was the opposite of Faye - short and blonde and tan with chocolate brown eyes. Cute.  
  
He didn't speak to her. Shin never spoke to anyone anymore.  
  
Judith must've been reading his mind somehow because, out of the blue, she spoke. "You hate it here, don't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I do too."  
  
He peered over at her quizzically. "Wanna do something about it?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Well, you've got some connections, don't you?"  
  
"I guess you could say that..."  
  
And for the first time since the whole trauma over Faye, Shin smiled.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Stale memories and dreams that we both wanted but could not share remained like a bitter taste in my mouth when I curled up on Vicious' bed, lying my head on his pillow and breathing in deeply, smelling the faint scent of his shampoo. Peppermint. I didn't know what to think of that - the smell of the stuff almost made me want to cry, but I didn't. I just looked over at where Vicious was standing, brushing his hair, with his fingers, as usual, and smiled slightly. "Come to bed."  
  
He raised an eyebrow but didn't disobey. In fact, he didn't even undress - just walked over, fully clothed, and lay down with me. One arm slipped about my waist, the other cupped the back of my head to press my face into his chest, and he murmured, "Tomorrow morning, I'll take you someplace special for breakfast."  
  
We both knew that I would not make that appointment.  
  
"Sounds good," I whispered, and closed my eyes to impress the feel of lying in his arms into my memory. I began to stroke my fingers over his hair, knowing it would lull him to sleep, and continued to do so even after his eyelids drooped low and then closed, his breathing becoming steady. Then, cautiously, I pulled away and stood.  
  
My bags were packed by the door. Before going to them, I stooped and tucked my hair behind my ear, kissing Vicious on the forehead. "Bye, baby," I whispered fondly, and was almost surprised to see a tear fall from my eye and splash onto his cheek. I had not even realized I had been crying. Quickly, I wiped a sleeve across my eyes, sniffled, and turned to grab my jacket.  
  
"Goodbye, Syndicate," I said a bit louder, addressing the room in general and looking one last time upon the man who was sound asleep in the bed, looking almost innocent and child-like in his current state. Then, with a grim finality, I hefted the bags up and into my one hand and closed the door with the other.  
  
~~~~~  
  
I'll try to update a lot sooner than last time - REVIEW!!! 


	11. The jealous waitress named Faye

I am so sorry it took so long to update!! FORGIVE ME!!  
  
To the wonderful reviewers...  
  
ClassicElfRyoko: Thank you so much for your review!! lol, well, when it comes to updating late...there's one thing I'm perfect at!! It's a horrible habit, but I can't break it - next chapter will come faster, I swear it!!  
  
PimpinSatan: Didn't get to a part like that yet, but I'll hopefully get one in next chapter. It'd be sweet to see a softer version of Vicious...but not too sweet. That'd be weird. Keep on reviewing!  
  
Light-of-Halo: I'm not good with mush either, so I tried not to let it get all sickeningly sweet. Besides, Vicious isn't the gentle type - he'd probably vomit before he'd start reciting poetry or anything else those romantic hero guys do... ok, now I'm just rambling. Revieeeeeew!  
  
Cbdbz247: Well...it looks like I failed you in the updating arena. I AM SO SORRY!!! ...ahem, well, I'll try to get on the ball and update a lot quicker next time. Thank you for your opinion!  
  
GreenKitsune: Thanks so much for your compliments!! I'll try to keep them in character, although I am unsure sometimes. Haha, your name is really cute, by the way!! ...sorry, couldn't resist. I love the name Kitsune - it's just so...kawaii!!  
  
Theyreallyloveme: lol, you made sense to me, and that's just how I wanted the chapter to seem, so thanks for your description! Oh, and Shin is not so nice in this chapter, but I promise, he will get nice again! It'll just take a little time  
  
Kaelin77: Hmm...that multiple endings thing is a really good idea. I might just do that!! Thanks for the inspiration! Hey, I'll even title the riding off into the sunset ending, 'Kaelin's Happy Ending' ...unless you object, lol  
  
Zithromax: I have failed yet another reviewer, sigh... Sorry!! Well, time will tell all, I suppose, and I'll try to make the update a lot quicker next time. Keep on reviewing!  
  
TigerTiger2: Er...sorry? I mean...thanks! I mean...AHH!! lol, thank you for your review, and yes, Faye is a big unhappy sissy... we'll see if she comes back. Or if he gets her - or what.  
  
Dazma: Ok! Yes! ...sorry, it was delayed!  
  
Sir-black: Thanks for your suggestions and comments! I'll try to make it more action packed from now. Keep reviewing!  
  
Specter Queen: Thanks for your review! Yeah, I am trying to develop this relationship and it's a bit tough for me because I wanna rush it, but I know I shouldn't, so... Oh well, I'll do my best. Keep reviewing, please!  
  
SweetPsyche: Angst is oodles of fun and more! Wow, thanks for the talented writer compliment! I think I'll steal the Campbell's motto and say it warmed me, heart and soul. lol I'll try to keep up the emotional scenes, make sure to review again!  
  
AnimeAngel707: I don't even know how it'll turn out, so I'm waiting too, lol  
  
A-chan5: I've always loved bittersweet, unless it's chocolate. lol, yeah, Shin is being a bit of a sore loser, but then again, I feel bad for him - Faye leading him on like that. Poor guy, he'll get happy and nice again, just you watch! Volk Zyta: Thaaaaanks, I'll try to keep it good. This chapter is something I had to do in a hurry, but the next one will be much better, and it'll have Vicious!!  
  
Dar2ne: THANK YOU!!! lol, I've always wanted to read a good Vicious/Faye story too, but there are so few, I just decided to try and make my own, so I'm glad you like it  
  
Bloody Love: DON'T DIE!!! I NEED YOU TO STAY ALIVE AND KEEP ON REVIEWING AND GIVING ME SUGGESTIONS!!!  
  
LIL MZ JAE: Well, it might become long, I dunno yet. I'm making it up as I go along, lol Thanks for your review  
  
Mange: I didn't!! Yay!! I'm back!! Review again!  
  
FIREmblemFAN: Awww, crying?! ...yay! That means I did a good job!! Thank you!! Review again!!  
  
READ ON!!!

Three weeks later and I was hanging around outside the warehouse where Shin had taken Jet, Ed, and I before Vicious and his syndicate stepped in and pretty much screwed up our friendship. I didn't have a car, or any money for that matter, but I did have my bag slung over my shoulder and a hot cup of coffee cradled in my hands. My original plan had been to return to Jet and Ed, but I had shied away from the idea as the visit approached. What would they think of me? Surely I couldn't lie to them about it all, that'd be useless.  
  
I did go back to my apartment building though, to see if they might still be there. They were. I didn't actually go into the building, but I spied, stood behind a dumpster and watched Jet walking in with Ed at his heels. He was carrying a grocery bag and she was skipping and singing. They looked almost cute together, the perfect misfit couple straight from a feel good movie. Maybe things were running smoother without me after all.  
  
I sighed, turning to face the gravel road again, waving on a car every now and then and assuring the driver I was not a hitchhiker, nor a damsel in distress. Then, I started to walk.  
  
Somehow, I'd scrounged up a job as a waitress, again, and had even rented out the little apartment over the restaurant, although I was sharing with the female cook. It wasn't an exactly satisfactory life style, but it would suffice.  
  
Every now and then a member of the Red Dragons would come though. I'd recognize the faces and know the names often enough, but the style of dress usually was what gave them away. Of course they never recognized me.  
  
Upon reaching my workplace, I found that it had opened without me, which was surprisingly rare since it was before eleven, the normal sleepy time it took down the 'closed' sign. "Iris, why are we open so early?" I demanded, hurrying back to the kitchen, trying to dodge some of the milling customers and tie on my apron at the same time.  
  
"I think your watch is wrong - this is the normal time." Iris, a young, pudgy blonde girl with a cute face and freckles, was slaving over the hot stove already, her short hair pushed back from her face and gathered on top of her head in clips and bobby pins.  
  
I checked my wrist and saw the clock that set upon was indeed an hour late. "Egads," I sighed, setting to righting it.  
  
"No time for that!" Iris was waving the spatula in a semi-threatening manner. "Go take orders!"  
  
Grabbing up the pen and pad of paper, I hurried to the first table, scribbled down the order, and then hurried off to my next task. As I was turning though, I glimpsed something that made my heart stop. Sitting in the corner, right by the window, was Shin. Syndicate uniform and all.  
  
My salvation was that he was accompanied by a female, also in syndicate clothing, and seemed to be very interested in what she had to say. One could have assumed it a date quite easily from the way he was smiling, chin resting on the back of his hand, and the way she was giggling like mad. I quickly whirled around, eyes wide, and walked stiffly back to the kitchen.  
  
Only to be sent back out.  
  
Yes, I am the only waitress on duty today.  
  
I ignored them for as long as I could, I tried to beg Iris to do the job for me, but she would not hear of it, and in the end, she tired of my dodging about the small restaurant and pushed me directly towards the table.  
  
"About time," said the girl.  
  
Shin wasn't looking at me, staring out the window instead. I lowered my head and poised the pen over the paper, hoping he'd be in the same distracted state the entire order. The girl was obviously indecisive because she changed her mind about five times, and then, after finally settling on something, she nudged Shin and chided, "Pay attention!"  
  
His head slowly turned towards me, slanted green eyes dull and unassuming, black hair flopping over his forehead, ungelled for once. Tan and healthy and happy looking, he hadn't recognized me just yet. He looked so nice...  
  
It made me hold my breath.  
  
And then, he inhaled sharply and those clear, lovely eyes turned to slits, the healthily bronzed skin paling and then reddening angry at his cheeks. However, what he said to me was the last thing I expected.  
  
"All I want is some black coffee."  
  
Blink blink. Oh. Crooked smile. Be that way.  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked him shakily, and he knew I meant something more than what came out of my mouth. His voice had ground the order out, like he was really saying, 'All I want is for you to disappear'. Other than that though, there was no fuss, no turning over of the table, no sending dishes flying everywhere, and definitely no name-calling (which I had to confess, I had been ready for).  
  
"Yes."  
  
I turned away and felt numb, walking back towards the kitchen. By the time I got there, I'd already forgotten the orders.

  
  
It was a strange encounter - we pretended not to know each other, Shin and I, and he and the girl sat around and flirted and touched hands casually and even kissed. If I wanted to be petty, I could have said he was doing it all just to make me jealous, but I knew that wasn't the truth. Shin was really happy with this girl, and look what I was.  
  
An unhappy waiter staring at them from the kitchen door like a jealous ex- girlfriend.  
  
Bad things really do happen to bad people.  
  
However, just as I was sinking into the depths of my self-pity, Shin glanced over my way and summoned me with a casual wave of his hand. Time to pay the check, it seemed. I slapped it down on the table in a less than good-humored manner and then waited for him to pull out the cash. However, as he laid the money on the table before my eyes, he raised his head slightly, smirked, and handed me a card.  
  
"Eh?" I took it reluctantly, skimming over the writing scrawled across it.  
  
By the time I looked back up, Shin and the girl were exiting, his arm around her waist, the door slamming shut behind them. Perfect happy couple. Dazed, I dropped my eyes back to the slip of paper Shin had given me and at the message it bore.  
  
_He hates you now. And guess what else._  
  
_**He knows where you are.  
**_

Review!! 


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